Advances in Industrialized Rice Production Research

To widen the new way of thinking and to explore a new technology of rice planting, industrialized rice production is an advanced rice planting method. All processes of rice growth were finished in factory and they provided proper growth conditions (including light, CO2 concentration, temperature, moisture and minerals) on the base of different growth stages. This paper illustrated the theory of rice growth in factory, the processes of rice cultivation and fundamental structure of rice factory. It combined natural conditions with artificial environment to create an ideal rice growing environment. Rice cultivation’s cycle in factory was shortened and normally one day was divided into 2 - 3 special days. It could be continuous production and prevented rice planting from being affected by external conditions. Industrialized rice makes full use of energy on the basis of sunray and artificial supplies to increase the rice yield and it will start a revolution of rice planting and solve the problem of food safety.

Unmanned air vehicle adaptability and application evaluation for new rice panicle fertilizers:Fertilizer characteristics and mechanical adaptability

High-efficiency fertilizers suitable for mechanical spraying can improve the fertilizer application and utilization efficiency.In this study,two types of granular compound fertilizers suitable for unmanned air vehicle spraying were developed using urea,potassium chloride,humic acid,and an amino acid synergist according to the fertilization requirements of rice at the booting stage.The physical and chemical properties of the compound fertilizers were analyzed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy.The release kinetics of the fertilizer was studied via a soil column leaching experiment.The effect of fertilizer particles on unmanned air vehicle spraying uniformity was studied via an orthogonal simulation experiment.Results showed that the chemical interaction between compound-fertilizer raw materials formed complexes such as C-NH-C and-CO-NH-,which caused a change in fertilizer particle morphology.This led to chemical monolayer adsorption or internal fertilizer diffusion,which in turn delayed the fertilizer release by 5−10 d.A simulation bench test showed that the fertilizer particle hardness and roundness exceeded 20 N and 85%,respectively,while the particle size was in the range of 2.07−5.13 mm,which resulted in good unmanned air vehicle spraying uniformity with a lateral variation coefficient of less than 15%.Finally,the experimental field results demonstrated that the new compound fertilizers,when sprayed by an unmanned air vehicle,could improve the economic benefit by 916−2742 CNY ha−1 without reducing the nitrogen utilization rate and rice yield.The new compound fertilizers exhibit delayed release,good spraying uniformity,and improved economic benefit,rendering them suitable for large-scale promotion and application.

Seeding performance of air-assisted centralized seed-metering device for rapeseed

In order to analyze seed movement characteristics and improve seeding quality of air-assisted centralized metering device for rapeseed,the effects of the model-hole structure on seed feeding performance were investigated using EDEM simulation.Furthermore,the CFD-DEM coupling approach was applied to determine movement trajectories and airflow fields.The impacts of rapeseed varieties and rotational speed on seeding performance were investigated by bench tests.The results showed that the seed feeding quantity increased with the increase of model-hole’s length,depth and section size.Under the model-hole’s depth of 3.0 mm,the type II model-hole and model-hole’s length of 10 mm,both the variation coefficient of seed feeding quantity and hill diameter were lower which meet the seeding quantity requirement of 2 seeds in each hill.It was revealed that the seed population migrated in a large airflow velocity area and the distribution was uniform.The bench tests indicated that rapeseed varieties and rotational speed had a significant effect on the seed feeding quantity in each hill at rotational speed of 10-40 r/min.The variation coefficient of seed feeding quantity in each hill was less than 17.0%for each treatment.The hill diameter,which did not exceed 3.5 cm,tended to reduce with increasing rotational speed.The variation coefficient of seeding quantity in each row and seeding uniformity was less than 6.5%and 32.0%,respectively.Field experiments demonstrated that the seedling was 9-13 plants per meter each row for three rapeseed varieties.The variation coefficient of plants was less than 25.0%for six rows and their yields reached 2761 kg/hm2,which realized the mechanized planting requirements.The results can optimize structure of an air-assisted centralized metering system and improve seeding performance.