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This paper describes the development and study of a finite element numerical model (FEM) of a rotary harrow. A proper use of a rotary harrow depends on its geometry and its operating parameters, such as drag speed and angular speed. The aim of this work is to develop a rotary harrow model in the ANSYS environment in order to analyse and optimize its geometric parameters. After validating the model through a comparison with some experimental data, it was used to analyse the forces exchanged between the tines and the soil as a function of drag speed, angular speed and working depth. Different tine orientations and three different types of terrain were considered.

The following article describes the disadvantages of existing trailed harrowing units while preparing fields before sowing in early spring, such as: inconvenience in cleaning toothed harrows from weeds, attracting additional transport and labor when moving the trailed unit from one field to another, excessive labor costs, time losses, and eliminating these disadvantages by creating highly efficient wide-reach mounted units, as well as substantiating the parameters of working bodies based on theoretical and experimental studies. In addition, the article contains the results of scientific, theoretical and experimental studies on the operation of a highly efficient and easy-to-use wide-reach unit for high-quality soil preparation for planting.

Birds may respond to habitat at multiple scales, ranging from microhabitat structure to landscape composition. North American grassland bird distributions predominantly reside on private lands, and populations have been consistently declining. Many of these lands are enrolled in U.S. federal conservation programmes, and properly guided management policies could alleviate declines. However, more evaluative research is needed on the effects of management policies juxtaposed with other multi‐scale habitat features. Furthermore, research focused on nest survival is arguably more valuable because habitat associations with avian densities can sometimes be deceptive. We investigated nest survival of a grassland facultative (red‐winged blackbird Agelaius phoeniceus) and obligate species (dickcissel Spiza americana), and two nesting communities (ground and above‐ground nesters) relative to management and multi‐scale habitat (nest‐site characteristics, in‐field microhabitat, patch metrics, and landscape context). Our study was conducted on private lands in Illinois (2011–2014) and directly linked to policy‐based management (discing, herbicidal spraying, spray/interseeding) and landowner decisions. Multi‐scale models explained more variation in nest survival compared to single scales or management in three of four analyses (blackbirds, dickcissels, and above‐ground nesters). Finer‐scale habitat variables, such as nest‐site characteristics, were more often in top and among the competitive models relative to landscape factors. Compared with other management types, discing (i.e., tractor‐pulled disc harrows removed approximately 50% of vegetation) displayed distinct effects and positively influenced nest survival in above‐ground nesters. Also, greater proportions of a field managed cumulatively and yearly, regardless of type, generally improved nest survival for dickcissels and above‐ground nesters. All groups except above‐ground nesters had generally higher nest survival in native‐grass dominated fields. Synthesis and applications. Habitat practitioners can improve nest survival for certain grassland birds by directly affecting in‐field microhabitat vegetation and structure. However, characteristics associated with specific nest locations often drive nest survival. We suggest habitat managers and agency staff promote native grass practices and management, such as discing, to enhance nest survival of grassland bird populations. Management will likely be most effective in favourable unfragmented grassland landscapes with less surrounding forested areas, which also promote other important responses (e.g., colonization and persistence) of target species. Habitat practitioners can improve nest survival for certain grassland birds by directly affecting in‐field microhabitat vegetation and structure. However, characteristics associated with specific nest locations often drive nest survival. We suggest habitat managers and agency staff promote native grass practices and management, such as discing, to enhance nest survival of grassland bird populations. Management will likely be most effective in favourable unfragmented grassland landscapes with less surrounding forested areas, which also promote other important responses (e.g., colonization and persistence) of target species.

Intra-row weed control in organic or low-input cropping systems is more difficult than in conventional agriculture. The various mechanical and thermal devices available for intra-row weed control are reported in this review. Low-tech mechanical devices such as cultivators, finger-weeders, brush weeders, and torsionweeders tend to be used in low density crops, while spring-tine harrows are mainly applied in narrow-row high-density crops. Flame weeding can be used for both narrow and wide-row sown crops, provided that the crop is heat-tolerant. Robotic weeders are the most recent addition to agricultural engineering, and only a few are available on the market. Nowadays, robotic weeders are not yet used in small and medium sized farms. In Europe, highincome niche crops are often cultivated in small farms and farmers cannot invest in high-tech solutions. Irrespectively of the choice of low- or high-tech machines, there are several weeders that can be used to reduce the use of herbicides, making of them a judicious use, or decide to avoid them.

BackgroundThe integration of organic viticulture practices in grape cultivation represents a pivotal advancement towards sustainable agriculture, emphasizing the importance of environmentally friendly methods that enhance soil health, grape quality, and overall ecosystem biodiversity, thereby contributing significantly to the resilience and long-term sustainability of viticultural ecosystems. This study explored the effects of soil management practices, including chisel, disc harrow, and no tillage, as well as the impact of utilizing Antep radish, broccoli, and olive blackwater as fertilizer applications, on the biochemical composition, specifically biogenic amines (BAs), in the clusters of the 'Royal' grape cultivar within a vineyard setting.ResultsThroughout the three-year study, no tillage soil management consistently emerged as the most influential soil treatment for enhancing BAs in 'Royal' grape berries, especially in combination with Antep radish and olive blackwater fertilizer applications. Among fertilizer applications, the nontreated control vines consistently had the highest concentrations of critical BAs, such as putrescine, cadaverine, histamine, and dopamine, across different soil management practices. Among the soil management practices and fertilizer applications evaluated, the disc harrow soil management and olive blackwater fertilizer application generally yielded the lowest concentrations of BAs across several metrics.The PCA biplots indicated that experimental years have a similar effect on BA content in grape berries, with specific amines such as serotonin and dopamine being more affected in 2020, while cadaverine, histamine, spermidine, trimethylamine, and norepinephrine were more influenced in 2021, and putrescine, spermine, agmatine, and tryptamine in 2022.ConclusionThese findings hold significant implications for organic agriculture, emphasizing the nuanced influence of soil management practices and organic fertilizers on the BA composition of grape berries. Our results indicate the potential of tailored agricultural strategies to enhance plant health and quality, aligning with the principles of sustainability and environmental stewardship inherent to organic farming.

Soil amendments (e.g., compost) require uniform incorporation in the soil profile to benefit plants. However, machines may not mix them uniformly throughout the upper soil layer commonly explored by plant roots. The study focuses on using image texture analysis to determine the level of mixing uniformity in the soil following the passage of two kinds of harrows. A 12.3-megapixel DX-format digital camera acquired images of soil/expanded polystyrene (in the laboratory) and soil/compost mixtures (in field conditions). In the laboratory, pictures captured the soil before and during the simulated progressive mixing of expanded polystyrene particles. In field conditions, images captured the exposed superficial horizons of compost-amended soil after the passage of a combined spike-tooth–disc harrow and a disc harrow. Image texture analysis based on the gray-level co-occurrence matrix calculated the sums of dissimilarity, contrast, entropy, and uniformity metrics. In the laboratory conditions, the progressive mixing resulted in increased image dissimilarity (from 1.15 ± 0.74 × 106 to 1.65 ± 0.52 × 106) and contrast values (from 2.69 ± 2.06 × 106 to 5.67 ± × 1.93 106), almost constant entropy (3.50 ± 0.25 × 106), and decreased image uniformity (from 6.65 ± 0.31 × 105 to 4.49 ± 1.36 × 105). Using a tooth-disc harrow in the open field resulted in higher dissimilarity, contrast, entropy (+73.3%, +62.8%, +16.3%), and lower image uniformity (−50.6%) than the disc harrow, suggesting enhanced mixing in the superficial layer.

The conducted research is devoted to the analysis of the wear resistance of materials used in reinforcing coatings of working bodies of agricultural machines subjected to friction under abrasive action in soil conditions. The aim of the study was to determine the degree of wear of the hardened teeth of the disc under the load of their impact on the soil in real operating conditions. The disk of a toothed harrow, which is a hardened working body of agricultural machinery, was used as an object of research. The individual teeth of this disc were the test samples. To increase the wear resistance of the teeth, a variety of reinforcing coatings were applied. The results of the study made it possible to comparatively evaluate the effectiveness of various reinforcing coatings and identify their effect on the wear resistance of the teeth of the disc. This study provides important data for further improvement of materials and technologies in agricultural engineering in order to increase the durability and efficiency of working bodies.

The wear performance of coated and uncoated harrow discs was evaluated under real agricultural field conditions in order to assess the long-term effectiveness of three atmospheric plasma spraying (APS) systems: a Cr2O3–SiO2–TiO2 ceramic coating, a WC/W2C–Co carbide coating, and a Co–Cr–Ni–W–C alloy coating. In contrast to most previous studies focused on laboratory testing or short-term trials, the present work provides a comparative long-term field evaluation over 50 ha per disc (1000 ha total) under identical operating conditions in quartz-rich Argic Luvisol soil. Disc wear was quantified through periodic mass-loss and diameter measurements, complemented by microstructural and SEM analyses. The uncoated disc exhibited the most severe degradation, with a total mass loss of approximately 700 g and rapid acceleration of wear after the first 5–10 ha. The ceramic-coated disc showed the highest durability, limiting mass loss to approximately 390 g, corresponding to a reduction of about 44%, and maintaining the largest residual diameter after field operation. The Co-based alloy provided intermediate performance (~16% mass-loss reduction), while the carbide coating showed limited improvement (~7% reduction) due to microcracking and weak carbide–binder interfaces. The results demonstrate that, under real field conditions, coating microstructural integrity is more critical than nominal hardness, and highlight the superior effectiveness of ceramic APS coatings for extending disc service life in abrasive agricultural soils.

A survey was carried out in the field of the Faculty of Agriculture, Basra University. The mechanical field try was done by isolating the field’s property as indicated by the Randomized Completely Block Design (R.C.B.D) included two factors, the first factor uses two primary tillage implements was mounted moldboard plough and digger plough, and second factor was four kinds of auxiliary culturing implements: Disk harrows, Axe harrows, spring cultivator and Rotary plough. The research was conducted in silty loam soil to investigate the influence of fuel consumption, traction force, field efficiency and the soil Fragmentation index. The purpose of this study was to investigate the influence of trowel type on the performance indicators of mechanical units to adapt them to the soils studied. The use of agricultural machinery contributed significantly to reducing the time, costs, effort and wages of workers in the field. The most prominent of these processes are the primary and secondary preparation of the soil and the mixing of manure residues with the surface layer of the soil. In this research, the superiority of the rotary plow over the rest of the machines was observed by recording the lowest pulling force and the lowest fuel consumption rate that it needs while moving and it was 1.60 kN and 14.42 L. ha-1 respectively, in addition to that giving it the best field efficiency and the best fragmentation degree and it was 68.66%, 6.5 mm respectively.