The goal of the project was to enhance the period of weed growth prior to seeding in order to reduce weed emergence and weed competition after the crop has been planted. Weed growth was stimulated using either light tillage or by applying nitrogen fertilizer early in the spring. Light disturbance significantly increased pre-seed weed emergence while early applied nitrogen did not appear to have an effect. Post seeding weed emergence levels and weed biomass were similar among the light tillage and early nitrogen treatments. Therefore the goal of decreasing weed competition after seeding was not attained. Future research should focus on long-term strategies to reduce weed populations in field rather than seasonal strategies. / October 2006

The goal of the project was to enhance the period of weed growth prior to seeding in order to reduce weed emergence and weed competition after the crop has been planted. Weed growth was stimulated using either light tillage or by applying nitrogen fertilizer early in the spring. Light disturbance significantly increased pre-seed weed emergence while early applied nitrogen did not appear to have an effect. Post seeding weed emergence levels and weed biomass were similar among the light tillage and early nitrogen treatments. Therefore the goal of decreasing weed competition after seeding was not attained. Future research should focus on long-term strategies to reduce weed populations in field rather than seasonal strategies.

The goal of the project was to enhance the period of weed growth prior to seeding in order to reduce weed emergence and weed competition after the crop has been planted. Weed growth was stimulated using either light tillage or by applying nitrogen fertilizer early in the spring. Light disturbance significantly increased pre-seed weed emergence while early applied nitrogen did not appear to have an effect. Post seeding weed emergence levels and weed biomass were similar among the light tillage and early nitrogen treatments. Therefore the goal of decreasing weed competition after seeding was not attained. Future research should focus on long-term strategies to reduce weed populations in field rather than seasonal strategies.

The agricultural industry is constantly evolving with automation as one of the current main focuses. This thesis involves the automation of a seedbed tine harrow, specifically the control of the tillage depth. The tillage depth is instrumental to farming as it determines the quality of the tilth, how well clods are broken up, and how well the soil aggregates are sorted. Poor control of the tillage depth could result in a bad harvest for the farmer. To control the tillage depth, several pulse radar sensors are installed on the harrow. The sensors measure the distance from the tines of the harrow to the ground. This distance is used in a control-loop that controls the hydraulic actuators that lifts and pushes down the frame of the harrow. Because of the rough working conditions of the tine harrow, the pulse radar sensors are in danger of being damaged or disturbed. A sensor not working as intended will lead to poor control of the tillage depth or even an unstable control system. The purpose of this thesis is to develop diagnosis systems to detect and generate an alarm if the output of a sensor is faulty. Four different systems are developed, three machine learning approaches and one model based approach. To be able to test and train models without having to go out on a field with a real harrow, a test rig is available. The test rig emulates a harrow driving on a field and the tests are designed to imitate plausible sensor errors. The models trained on and tuned to the test rig data are validated with data gathered from a real tine harrow.  The validation data from the harrow reveal that the main difference between the field data and test rig data are the vibrations and the sensor heights. The test rig produces negligible amounts of vibrations whereas the vibrations on a real harrow are immense. These differences affect the performances of the models and some tuning have to be done to the models to accommodate for the vibrations. The performance of the model based approach is good and no larger adjustments have to be made to it. The machine learning models created from the test rig data do not work in the field and new models are trained using field data. The new models are accurate and show great potential; albeit, it would be necessary to collect a lot more data for further training. Specifically, training the machine learning models on varying heights. In conclusion, the test rig data is similar to the field data but the vibrations in the system is missing and the heights differ. The missing vibrations results in that the models do not work as intended on field data. The conventional diagnostics approach works, but the generated alarms are binary meaning that the alarm only reveal if the signal is good or bad and does not provide any nuance. The machine learning models does provide nuance, meaning that the model can detect errors, what is causing the error, and warn if an error is about to occur. However, the machine learning models need a lot of data to train on to make this happen.

Made available in DSpace on 2014-06-11T19:29:44Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 2002-02-15Bitstream added on 2014-06-13T19:39:09Z : No. of bitstreams: 1 soratto_rp_me_ilha.pdf: 173179 bytes, checksum: 0abffd09ba51c6e887a06c813a78d197 (MD5) / Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP) / O manejo adequado de práticas como a adubação nitrogenada, fornecimento de água através da irrigação e fatores que proporcionam um melhor desenvolvimento do sistema radicular, como o preparo do solo, são importantes para aumentar a eficiência do feijoeiro na utilização dos recursos disponíveis, possibilitando aumentar a produtividade. Com o objetivo de estudar o comportamento do feijoeiro cultivar IAC Carioca Eté, em função do preparo do solo, manejo de água e parcelamentos da adubação nitrogenada, no período de inverno, foi conduzido um trabalho de pesquisa na área experimental da Faculdade de Engenharia-UNESP, Campus de Ilha Solteira, localizada em Selvíria-MS. O delineamento experimental foi em blocos casualizados, no esquema de parcelas subsubdivididas, com as subparcelas dispostas em faixas e quatro repetições. As parcelas foram constituídas por três modalidades de preparo do solo (grade pesada + grade niveladora, escarificador + grade niveladora e plantio direto). As lâminas de água aplicadas por aspersão foram determinadas pela utilização de diferentes coeficientes de cultura (L1, L2 e L3) e constituíram as subparcelas e os parcelamentos da aplicação do nitrogênio (0-75, 25-50, 50-25 e 75-0 kg.ha-1 na semeadura e em cobertura aos 22 DAE, respectivamente), as subsubparcelas. Durante o desenvolvimento do trabalho foram realizadas as seguintes avaliações: número de dias para o florescimento pleno, características físicas do solo, matéria seca de plantas, teor de N total na parte aérea das plantas, número de vagens/planta, número de grãos/planta, número médio de grãos/vagem, massa de 100 grãos, produtividade de grãos e teor de N nos grãos. Os resultados obtidos permitiram concluir que o preparo do solo com grade pesada... / The appropriate management aiming higher yields of crops as nitrogen fertilization, water supply through of the irrigation and factors which provide a better growth of the root system, as the soil tillage, are very important to improve the efficiency by common bean crop and increase its yield. This research aimed to evaluate the IAC Carioca Eté cultivar as a function of soil management systems and water management, and nitrogen split application, in winter season, at Experimental Station of UNESP - Ilha Solteira Campus, located in Selviria-MS. A randomized complete block design, in split-split plot scheme, with subplots in strips, with four replications was used. The plots were constituted by three soil management systems: harrow disk + leveling disk, chisel plough + leveling disk, and no-tillage system. The water levels, applied through a sprinkler system (L1, L2, and L3) constituted the subplots and four nitrogen rates in split application: 0-75, 25-50, 50-25 and 75-0 kg ha-1 applied at sowing time and side dressing at 22 days after plant emergency, respectively, constituted the subsubplots. Number of days up to full flowering, soil physical characteristics, dry matter of plant, shoot nitrogen content, number of pod/plant, number of grain/plant, number of grain/pod, weight of 100 grains, grain yield, and grain nitrogen content were evaluated. The soil management with harrow disk + leveling disk provided the higher grain yield related to no-tillage system, but it did not differ from chisel plough + leveling disk treatment. The bean crop don t showed reduction yield, even using a crop coefficient 25% lower than recommended to water replace... (Complete abstract click electronic access below)

This study explored how Grade R teachers at a pre-primary school understand and implement early childhood physical development practices, based on the Revised National Curriculum Statement (RNCS) for Grade R. The research took place in the form of a case study at a private pre-primary school in Rivonia, Sandton. Data was collected by means of document analysis of the RNCS for Grade R, a focus group discussion with purposefully selected participants and observations within the school. Analysis of the data was twofold, firstly utilising taxonomic analysis based on Anita Harrow‟s (1972) taxonomy of psychomotor learning (which formed the theoretical framework for the study), and secondly by means of a thematic analysis of data. Results and findings indicate that participants attributed significant importance to physical development in early childhood as a building block for the development of further cognitive skills and academic achievement. Participants demonstrated an in-depth and extensive comprehension of physical development pertaining to early childhood and their understanding thereof is reflected in their teaching practices offering varying opportunities and ways in which to learn. The school takes a whole-school approach to physical development by incorporating it into different contexts and enlisting the assistance of various role-players. Emerging themesreflect concern with the impact of modern lifestyle on children's physical development, current inadequacies of physical education programmes in schools, the need for teachers to remain informed and educated in physical development and the need for further development of the physical development section of the Grade R RNCS. Participants had various concerns with the curriculum in terms of what they perceived as its non-specificity, the participative versus quality performance approach, the lack of age-appropriate norms, and perceived irregularities with other areas of the Grade R curriculum. As a result, participants seemingly relied to a lesser extent on the RNCS to inform their implementation of physical development practices, relying instead on other sources of guidance. Participants therefore felt that the physical development section of the Grade R RNCS does not provide sufficient guidance and information for newly qualified or inexperienced teachers, especially those who have limited access to resources. Subsequently, this study highlights the need for teacher training as a means of improving the status of school physical education, assistance with and dissemination of information regarding early physical development in educational psychology practice and the need for further research in early physical development and the RNCS. / Dissertation (MEd)--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Educational Psychology / unrestricted

This study examined activity patterns and habitat use of pygmy rabbits (Brachylagus idahoensis) in mechanically treated and untreated areas in south-central Utah 2005-2008. We monitored fecal pellet plots in continuous sagebrush habitat as well as along treatment edges to record deposition and leporid presence over timed periods. Pygmy rabbit use of big sagebrush was higher than black-tailed jackrabbits (Lepus californicus) and mountain cottontail rabbits (Sylvilagus nuttallii ) (P< 0.01) relative to treated areas (P <0.01). We also compared pygmy rabbit use of areas with continuous sagebrush to residual sagebrush in a sample of mechanically treated areas. Our results suggest a treatment effect with higher (P <0.01) average counts of pygmy rabbit pellets in areas with continuous sagebrush compared to sagebrush strips and islands within treated areas. Before the big sagebrush biotype inhabited by pygmy rabbits is treated to reduce the occurrence and dominance of big sagebrush, we recommend managers consider two options. The first is no treatment, thus preserving, as is, the critical habitat of the pygmy rabbit and other sympatric big sagebrush obligate species of wildlife. The second option cautiously introduces the first prescription of habitat treatment ever recommended in relationship to the pygmy rabbit. This prescription includes recommended widths of the treated areas, seed mixes, widths of the preserved intact big sagebrush habitat for pygmy rabbits as well as suggested grazing systems for domestic livestock. Activity patterns of pygmy rabbits at their burrow were documented through the use of remote cameras. Photographs were analyzed for temporal and seasonal patterns of activity. Our results suggested that time of day was important in the activity level of pygmy rabbits while season was not. Pygmy rabbits were active during all time periods of the day but the greatest levels of activity occurred at night. Numerous other wildlife species were recorded by our remote cameras including other species of leporids, birds, rodents, reptiles and terrestrial predators.

Sagebrush (Artemisia spp.) is an important source of food and cover for many animals, especially during winter months. Understanding how wildlife species respond to sagebrush management actions can help improve conservation planning. Dixie harrow is a method of improving spring/summer habitat for many herbivores by reducing sagebrush cover to stimulate the growth of grasses and forbs. These treatments, however, may influence the quantity and quality of sagebrush available to greater sage-grouse (Centrocercus urophasianus; hereafter, sage-grouse) during winter. We evaluated the effects of Dixie harrow on sage-grouse resource selection during winter (Chapter 1) and on the nutritional value of sagebrush (Chapter 2). We were unsure what effect Dixie harrow would have on the nutritional value of sagebrush, but hypothesized that sage-grouse would select for untreated areas because they contained a higher quantity of food and cover. We captured 81 sage-grouse and fit them with GPS transmitters. Using 6,728 winter locations, we modeled third-order resource selection. Further, we collected samples of sagebrush plants that sage-grouse had eaten from (n = 54), samples of sagebrush plants passed by but not eaten from (n = 54), as well as samples from random locations inside (n = 60) and outside Dixie harrow treatments (n = 60). Contrary to our hypothesis, sage-grouse selected for Dixie harrow treatments during winter. We found that sage-grouse selectively browsed sagebrush plants with increased nutritional value, and that sage-grouse browsed plants inside treatments more frequently than outside the treatments, but Dixie harrow treatments had no measurable effect on the nutritional value of sagebrush. Based on our results, Dixie harrow treatments performed at the southern extent of the sage-grouse range will create habitat that sage-grouse prefer during winter, but we were unable to ascertain why sage-grouse select for Dixie harrow treatments during winter.

The aim of this thesis is to broaden knowledge about the possibilities of using modern stubble plough with minimum tillage in agricultural production. In order to evaluate the work of selected indicators stubble machines was based small ? plot experiments at selected station. The experiment was evaluated lumps, depth of tillage and crop residue incorporation of selected machines. Further economic evaluaiton was carried out operating costs of used machines. The use of machines were evaluated according to the results obtained reccomended in agricultural practice.

Resumo: O manejo adequado de práticas como a adubação nitrogenada, fornecimento de água através da irrigação e fatores que proporcionam um melhor desenvolvimento do sistema radicular, como o preparo do solo, são importantes para aumentar a eficiência do feijoeiro na utilização dos recursos disponíveis, possibilitando aumentar a produtividade. Com o objetivo de estudar o comportamento do feijoeiro cultivar IAC Carioca Eté, em função do preparo do solo, manejo de água e parcelamentos da adubação nitrogenada, no período "de inverno", foi conduzido um trabalho de pesquisa na área experimental da Faculdade de Engenharia-UNESP, Campus de Ilha Solteira, localizada em Selvíria-MS. O delineamento experimental foi em blocos casualizados, no esquema de parcelas subsubdivididas, com as subparcelas dispostas em faixas e quatro repetições. As parcelas foram constituídas por três modalidades de preparo do solo (grade pesada + grade niveladora, escarificador + grade niveladora e plantio direto). As lâminas de água aplicadas por aspersão foram determinadas pela utilização de diferentes coeficientes de cultura (L1, L2 e L3) e constituíram as subparcelas e os parcelamentos da aplicação do nitrogênio (0-75, 25-50, 50-25 e 75-0 kg.ha-1 na semeadura e em cobertura aos 22 DAE, respectivamente), as subsubparcelas. Durante o desenvolvimento do trabalho foram realizadas as seguintes avaliações: número de dias para o florescimento pleno, características físicas do solo, matéria seca de plantas, teor de N total na parte aérea das plantas, número de vagens/planta, número de grãos/planta, número médio de grãos/vagem, massa de 100 grãos, produtividade de grãos e teor de N nos grãos. Os resultados obtidos permitiram concluir que o preparo do solo com grade pesada... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: The appropriate management aiming higher yields of crops as nitrogen fertilization, water supply through of the irrigation and factors which provide a better growth of the root system, as the soil tillage, are very important to improve the efficiency by common bean crop and increase its yield. This research aimed to evaluate the IAC Carioca Eté cultivar as a function of soil management systems and water management, and nitrogen split application, in winter season, at Experimental Station of UNESP - Ilha Solteira Campus, located in Selviria-MS. A randomized complete block design, in split-split plot scheme, with subplots in strips, with four replications was used. The plots were constituted by three soil management systems: harrow disk + leveling disk, chisel plough + leveling disk, and no-tillage system. The water levels, applied through a sprinkler system (L1, L2, and L3) constituted the subplots and four nitrogen rates in split application: 0-75, 25-50, 50-25 and 75-0 kg ha-1 applied at sowing time and side dressing at 22 days after plant emergency, respectively, constituted the subsubplots. Number of days up to full flowering, soil physical characteristics, dry matter of plant, shoot nitrogen content, number of pod/plant, number of grain/plant, number of grain/pod, weight of 100 grains, grain yield, and grain nitrogen content were evaluated. The soil management with harrow disk + leveling disk provided the higher grain yield related to no-tillage system, but it did not differ from chisel plough + leveling disk treatment. The bean crop don’t showed reduction yield, even using a crop coefficient 25% lower than recommended to water replace... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Orientador: Orivaldo Arf / Coorientador: Ricardo Antonio Ferreira Rodrigues / Banca: Salatier Buzetti / Banca: Luís Fernando Stone / Mestre