Agricultural Technology and Machinery I

Total Hours in Course81

Number of hours for lectures24

Number of hours for seminars and practical classes8

Independent study hours49

Date of course confirmation25.09.2019

Responsible UnitInstitute of Engineering and Energetics

Course developer

prof.

Kaspars Vārtukapteinis

Dr. sc. ing.

Course abstract

The aim of the course is to study technologies and machinery used in crop farming for production and storage of crop farming products: soil cultivation, plant sowing and planting, plant fertilising and protection, grass forage preparation, grain, potato, vegetable and flax harvesting, primary processing and storage.

Learning outcomes and their assessment

1. Knowledge - students will obtain knowledge on technologies and machinery used in crop farming and will know the importance of application of the machines (practical work reports, tests);
2. Skills - students will understand the basic principles of crop farming machinery construction and operation, kinds of working parts and their application - (practical work reports, tests);

3. Competence - students will be able to summarise the latest information using technical information of the branch (journals, brochures, presentations, normative documents and other materials) to select grounded technological solutions for cultivation of a definite crop farming plant (independent work).

Course Content(Calendar)

1. Soil cultivation machines. Soil cultivation methods, agrotechnical requirements for soil cultivation machines, working parts of soil cultivation machines – 6 h.
Test 1: Soil cultivation technologies and machines used.
2. Scatter machines. Seed sowing methods, grain plant and fine seed sowing machines, precise sowing machines, potato and plant planting technologies and machines used, preparation of seed material. Plant fertilisation and chemical protection, mineral fertiliser spreaders and sowing machines, organic manure spreading technologies and machines used, field and orchard sprayers, spray generators, environment protection requirements – 5 h.
Test 2: Sowing and spreading machines, their kinds and application.
3. Fibre plant harvesting machines. Kinds of grass forage, hay, haylage, silage, machines and equipment for preparation, mowers, rakes, press winders, choppers, harvesters, labour safety and protection of field fauna. Cereal plant production technologies and technical means, grain harvesting technologies and machinery, grain primary processing technologies, grain drying and cleaning, straw harvesting, usage technologies and machinery – 5 h.
Test 3: Fibre plant harvesting technologies and machines used.
4. Grain and fine seed primary processing technologies and machines. Grain and fine seed cleaning, drying, sorting and storage, working parts and operation principles of grain primary processing machines, grain drying and active ventilation, principles of grain and other seed storage and equipment used – 5 h.
Test 4: Grain plant primary processing equipment and machines.
5. Potato production technologies, potato planting machines, cultivation and harvesting machines, potato sorters, potato storages and equipment, storage requirements. Oil and fibre plant cultivation technologies, growing of flax, rape, turnip rape and hemp, machinery for sowing and cultivation, harvesting technologies and machinery used, vegetable harvesting machines and primary processing equipment – 6 h.
Test 5: Potato, vegetable, flax and hemp growing, harvesting machines, storage buildings and equipment.
6. Technologies in orchards and berry gardens, machinery and technologies for organising and cultivation of orchards and berry gardens, fruit and berry harvesting machines, buildings and equipment for storage of fruit and berries, orchard and berry garden protection measures against unfavourable natural phenomena (frost, hale, birds) – 5 h.

Test 6: Fruit and berry cultivation and harvesting machines.

Requirements for awarding credit points

Students get credit points, if all practical works and tests are successfully passed. Written examination on the course materials.

Description of the organization and tasks of students’ independent work

Independent work – Soil cultivation Technologies and machinery in different parts of the world or similar - according to the student’s choice approved by the teacher of the course. The work is submitted as a presentation with at least 15 slides.

Criteria for Evaluating Learning Outcomes

Finishing the course students take a written examination.
If the tests and independent work are assessed at least with 7 grades, the examination grade is calculated as the mean average of all test and independent work grades.

Compulsory reading

1. CIGR Handbookof Agricultural Engineering. Vol. IV Agro-Processing Engineering. St.Joseph: American Society of Agricultural Engineers, 1999. 544 p.
2. Bell B. Farm Machinery. 6th Edition. UK: Old Pond Publishing, 2016. 312 p. ISBN 1910456063.

3. Henderson S. Agricultural process engineering. New York: Springer-Verlag Inc., 2012. 442 p. ISBN-13: 9781468468663.
4. Lauksaimniecības mašīnas. J.Ozola red. Rīga: Zvaigzne, 1993. 413 lpp.
5. Smidzinātāju rokasgrāmata. J.Āboliņš u.c. Ozolnieki: LLKC, 2001. 144 lpp.
6. Kažotnieks J. Arkli. Rīga: [b.i.], 2006. 27 lpp.
7. Zāles lopbarības sagatavošanas tehnoloģijas un mašīnas. J.Pankovs, S.Ivanovs, D.Viesturs. Ulbroka: LLU Ulbrokas zinātnes centrs, 2004. 125 lpp.
8. Āboltiņš A., Palabinskis J. Graudu kaltēšana un uzglabāšana. Jelgava: LLU, 2007. 74 lpp.

Periodicals and other sources

1. Profi. The Professional Farm Machinery Magazine Pieejams: https://www.profi.co.uk/

2. Top Agrar – Mehr Landwirtschaft. Pieejams: https://www.topagrar.com/

Notes

Elective course for the academic Bachelor programme Biosystems Machinery and Technologies. The course is available for studies also in English. 1st year 1st semester.

Atsauksmes