Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
Mustafa Kemal Üniversitesi tarım bilimleri dergisi (online), cilt.24, sa.1, ss.78-90, 2019 (Hakemli Dergi)
Aims: This study aimed to compare pass-to-pass overlaps and spacings inadjacent parallel passes in spraying with and without tractor automaticsteering (AS).Methods and Results: The data were obtained from 13 farmer fields(cotton, corn and peanut) to assess the performance of AS systems in realfarmer conditions. Root mean square errors (RMSE) of overlaps andspacings were determined on the maps generated from the coordinates ofthe tractor recorded while spraying. Variations between the fields werealso examined. The RMSE was lowest (7.5 ± 1.7 cm) in the fields on whichfarmers used AS (with RTK correction signal) in all three operations oftillage, sowing and spraying. RMSE values were comparatively higher forthe fields on which farmers used AS only in ridge tillage but not in sowingand spraying (CORS-GSM: 46.1 ± 6.5 cm, SBAS: 76.5 ± 13.9 cm). The fieldswith manually-steered ridge tillage, sowing and spraying (all three) had thehighest RMSE value of 100.8 ± 27.8 cm (p<0.05). The mean RMSE in themanual spraying (without AS) were found to be significantly higher thanthose using the AS (p<0.05).Conclusions: AS systems were found to be beneficial in reducing the meanpass-to pass overlap and spacing errors (RMSE) in spraying. However, mostof the farmers used AS only in soil ridge tillage and made the sprayingwithout AS by referencing marking flags and/ or soil ridges which wereformed using AS. Main reason of this is the high cost of the AS systems andfarmers cannot afford to equip all of their tractors. The use of AS systemsnot only in ridge tillage but also in planting and spraying reduced the errorsand increased the benefit of AS usage. The level of benefit from the AScould change from farmer to farmer; thus, farmers should use the ASsystems carefully with appropriate equipment settings to obtain a higherlevel of benefits.Significance and Impact of the Study: Appropriate use of AS systems inspraying offers benefits to reduce overlap and gaps and the amount ofpesticides resulting in lower amount of environmental pollution andpesticide residues on crops, lower application time, lower fuel and laborconsumption.