The objectives of this study were to analyze energy input-output and to identify the energy use p... more The objectives of this study were to analyze energy input-output and to identify the energy use patterns for sunflower production in the mechanized rain fed agricultural schemes eastern Sudan. The results revealed that the total energy input used to produce sunflower was 1671.33 MJ ha-1 and the total energy output was 11882.83 MJ ha-1. Sunflower production was efficient in energy consumption. The result showed that the energy ratio of output to input was greater than seven. The results indicated that the average net energy, the energy productivity and the specific energy was 10211.5 MJ ha-1, 0.28 kg. MJ-1 and 3.52 MJ kg -1, respectively. Fuel energy input was the highest among the energy input items while hand labor energy input was lower. These results indicate the dependence of sunflower production in rain fed agricultural schemes eastern Sudan on machinery. This necessitated the availability and readiness of the relevant and appropriate machineries as well as sufficient amount of...
Sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) plays an essential role in Sudan economy, but its actual yield is low... more Sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) plays an essential role in Sudan economy, but its actual yield is low. Harvesting losses were considered as one factor which contributes to this low yield. The objectives of this research were to analyze and quantify sesame harvesting losses, and to estimate their economic values in the mechanized rainfed areas of Eastern Sudan. Four sesame cutter binders were tested, namely; BCS-I, BCS-II, Warta-2 and New life (a cutting and windrowing machine). The first two machines were self-propelled, the others were tractor operated. The study was conducted for three consecutive seasons, 2012 to 2014. Three types of loss were determined which were; pre-harvesting, machine (cutting and binding) and total losses. The collected data included; plant density, number of capsules per plant, number of fallen capsules before the introduction of machines and number of uncut and unbound capsules. The results showed that the overall average pre-harvesting loss was 0.6%. Cutting loss was 1%, 0.5%, 1.7% and 0.5% for BCS-I, BCS-II, Warta-2 and New life, respectively. Binding loss was between 2.8% for BCS-I and 3.3% for Warta-2, with an overall average of 3.1%. The average percent of machine and total harvesting losses were 3.2% and 3.8%, respectively. The estimated quantity of pre-harvest, machine and total losses were 1.32, 7.04 and 8.4 kg/ha, respectively. The results inferred that when half of the sesame area in Gedarif State is harvested by the tested machines, the estimated annual loss was 975 tons, which amounts to a total loss value of US$ 1.5 million, with an average US$ 10.1 loss value per hectare. The results concluded that the position of cutter bar with respect to the driver and the mechanism that prepare bundles for binding besides the knotting system are the machine features which affected mechanical harvesting losses of sesame crop.
The objective of this research work was to investigate the effects of planting methods and drip i... more The objective of this research work was to investigate the effects of planting methods and drip irrigation intervals on onion yield under silt-loamy soil. An experiment was conducted for two consecutive seasons (2014/15 and 2015/16). The experiment was composed of planting methods and drip irrigation intervals. The planting methods were flat, ridge and bed planting, whereas drip irrigation intervals were daily, every 3 days and every 5 days. The nine treatments were randomly laid out in a split-plot design with three replicates, the main plots were irrigation intervals and the subplots were allotted to planting methods. The calculated total water requirement for onion crop was 8113 and 7633 m3/ha in the first and second seasons, respectively. The results showed that the combination of flat planting and daily irrigation produced significantly the highest bulb weight (218.4g), marketable yield (43.8ton/ha) and highest total yield (46.6 ton/ha). The results revealed that flat planting ...
Field experiments were conducted in the mechanized rainfed areas of Gedarif State during two cons... more Field experiments were conducted in the mechanized rainfed areas of Gedarif State during two consecutive seasons, 2001 and 2002, in one site in the first season and two sites in the second season. The objective was to study the effect of Sarwala operation on the performance of some sorghum cultivars, namely, Gadambalia Bloom, Um Baneen, Arfa Gadamak, Tabut and Wad Ahmed. Seeds were sown at the rate of 7.5 kg/fed in both seasons. However, in the second season, additional sowing was done at the rate of 3.2 kg/fed for hand weeding. A randomized complete block design with four replicates was used. Sowing was carried out during the third and the fourth week of July for the first and the second seasons, respectively. Sarwala operation was done after 25-30 days from crop emergence. Crop plants were counted immediately before Sarwala, two weeks later and at harvest. Percent reductions in plants as well as the number of heads and grain yield were determined. Results showed that plant population before Sarwala depended on seed size. Sarwala significantly reduced sorghum stand. Irrespective to sorghum cultivars, Sarwala significantly increased grain yield compared to hand weeding; however, Tabut cultivar resulted in the lowest yield. Moreover, the results showed that Sarwala increased rain efficiency. The overall average rain efficiency for Sarwala was 2.54 kg/fed/mm while it was 1.63 kg/fed/mm for the hand weeding. The productivity of sorghum cultivars Gadambalia Bloom, Um Baneen, Arfa Gadamak and Wad Ahmed increased significantly with Sarwala compared to hand weeding in the mechanized rainfed areas of eastern Sudan.
Many tractor makes are working in the mechanized rainfed areas of eastern Sudan. Most of them are... more Many tractor makes are working in the mechanized rainfed areas of eastern Sudan. Most of them are two-wheel drive (2WD) tractors. However, information concerning their repair and maintenance (R and M) costs are inadequate. Moreover, depending on information on R and M costs from other farming systems or countries is unrealistic. Four tractors were studied, which were Massy Ferguson (MF-290), Ford (FD-6610), Belarus (BL-800) and New Holland (TT-75). The objectives were to develop mathematical models to estimate tractors' annual R and M costs, to rank the studied tractors according to their predicted R and M costs and to compare estimations of the general model developed from this study with models developed elsewhere. Data on purchase price, annual working hours, fuel consumption, R and M costs, labor wage and oil costs were collected. The regression and F test analyses methods were used. Results revealed that the power function Y= aX b can be used to estimate tractor R and M cos...
The objectives of this research were to design, develop and assess a seeder that can construct di... more The objectives of this research were to design, develop and assess a seeder that can construct ditch and regulate tree seeds in the bottom of the ditch. One seeder unit, of a horizontal seed plate metering type, was selected and jointed to the rear of a ditcher frame. Eight seed plates were made. Four for Hashab (Acacia senegal) and four for Talh (Acacia seyal) and they drilled to 1, 2, 3 and 4 cells according to the seed size of tree type. The developed seeder was tested during seasons 2011 and 2012 in rainfed and irrigated areas. The tested treatments for the two tree species were the combination of number of cells per seed plate and number of teeth on drive and driven gears combination. Some machine parameters, socioeconomic and cost analyses were studied. The developed seeder was mounted and operated by a tractor of 75 to 80 Hp. It constructs ditch and regulates spacing between tree seeds in the bottom of the ditch simultaneously. The resulting spacing between seedlings ranged f...
Direct combine harvesting of crops helps in solving the problem of labor shortage during harvest ... more Direct combine harvesting of crops helps in solving the problem of labor shortage during harvest period, timely harvest and obtaining good grain quality. A study was conducted in the mechanized rain fed schemes in Gedarif State eastern Sudan to evaluate the performance of different combine harvester makes, to quantify harvesting losses and to estimate the value of the losses for direct harvesting of sorghum. Three combine harvester makes were assessed, namely; New Holland, Claas and Massey Ferguson. The data was collected from 46 combine harvesters during three harvesting seasons (2014, 2015and 2016). The exact number of each combine harvester make was 21, 9 and 16 for New Holland, Claas and Massey Ferguson, respectively. The collected data included machine parameters, harvesting losses and economic data. Results showed that the average forward speed, work rate, field efficiency and fuel consumption, was 5.1 km/hr, 2.2 ha/hr, 86% and 7.4 l/ha, respectively. The three harvesters prod...
International Journal of Agronomy and Plant Production, 2013
Sorghum yield in mechanized rainfed areas of Eastern Sudan is low; however, there are opportuniti... more Sorghum yield in mechanized rainfed areas of Eastern Sudan is low; however, there are opportunities for yield improvement through managing cultural practices. A field experiment was conducted for two consecutive rainy seasons, 2003 and 2004, in the mechanized rainfed area northern Gedarif State, Sudan. The objective was to assess the effects of seedbed preparation, seeding method and Nitrogen fertilizer level on sorghum grain yield. The seedbed preparation methods were; untilled seedbed (T0) and tilled seedbed (T1) by the conventional machine wide level disk (WLD) plow. The seeding methods were, broadcasting by the WLD (M1) and row crop planter (M2). The Nitrogen fertilizer levels were 0 (N0), 47.6 (N1) and 95.2 (N2) kg urea/ha. Split-split plot design with four replicates was used with seedbed preparation as the main plot, seeding methods as sub-plot and Nitrogen level as sub-sub plot. Sowing was done in the second and the third week of July for the first and the second season, res...
Sesame is one of the main oil crops grown under dryland areas in Sennar state, Sudan. However, ra... more Sesame is one of the main oil crops grown under dryland areas in Sennar state, Sudan. However, rainfall is quite irregular within the season and between the seasons. Understanding the effect of rainfall variability on water requirement and yield of sesame is essential to help in selecting optimum management practices for crop production. The objective of this study was to determine the water requirement and water productivity of sesame crop grown under two agro-ecological zones and three farming systems. An experiment was conducted in two agroecological zones in Sennar State (semi-arid zone and semi-humid zone) during seasons 2014/2015 and 2015/2016.The tested cropping systems were conventional farming (CF), conservation agriculture (CA) and water harvesting techniques (WH). The collected data included weather data and sesame yield data. The results showed that the average values of reference evapotranspiration (ETO) during the two seasons ranged from 3.29 to 4.4 mm/day in semi-arid...
A field experiment was carried out during two consecutive rainy seasons (2008 and 2009) at Gedari... more A field experiment was carried out during two consecutive rainy seasons (2008 and 2009) at Gedarif University Research Farm. The objective was to assess the effect of two seedbed preparation methods, five nitrogen fertilizer rates and their interactions on the performance of a sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) hybrid (Hysun-33). The seedbed preparation methods were; conventional plowing (7 cm deep) using wide level disk and un-plowing. Nitrogen fertilizer in form of urea (46% N) was applied at rates of 0, 47.6, 95.2, 142.8 and 190.4 kg urea/ha. The experiment was arranged in a randomized complete block design in factorial arrangement with four replications. The urea was applied four weeks after crop emergence. Preparing the seedbed by the wide level disk accelerate the emergence and flowering of sunflower crop compared to un-plowed. Plowing seedbed had significantly and positively affected the sunflower attributes and significantly (P > 0.001) out yielded the un-plowed seedbed by ...
The main objective of this study was to develop a computer system to act as a tool for rainfall a... more The main objective of this study was to develop a computer system to act as a tool for rainfall analysis and crop selection in dry land farming areas. The system was prepared using MS-Excel and Visual Basic computer soft-wares. Annual rainfall totals were collected from Sudan Meteorological Authority for different stations, for a period of 33 years. The system calculates the probability P (%) of occurrence or execedance for each rain observations and inversely predicts the magnitude of the rain according to any probability level. Then according to the planned probability determines the crops that can be grown based on their water requirements. The verification and validation showed high levels of accuracy in prediction. The comparison between the actual and predicted rainfall gave a high correlation coefficient (R2 = 0.87).The sensitivity analysis of the units showed that different input variables can affect the output results. The system was applied for Gedarif (Sudan) by using ann...
A field experiment was conducted in two agro-ecological zones in Sennar State, Sudan during seaso... more A field experiment was conducted in two agro-ecological zones in Sennar State, Sudan during seasons2014/2015 and 2015/2016to estimate crop water requirement and water productivity of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp) under three farming systems (conventional farming (CF), conservation agriculture (CA) and Water Harvesting (WH).The agro-ecological zones were semi-arid zone (Sennar Research Station Farm) and semi-humid zone (Abu Naama Research Station Farm). The Weather and crop data were collected during the study period. CROPWAT 8.0software was used to compute reference evapotranspiration (ETO), crop factor (Kc) and the crop water requirement (ETC). The analysis showed that the average values of ETO rangedbetween1.2 and5.0 mm/day in semi-arid zone, and between1.56and4.86 mm/day in the semi-humid zone. The average Kc values during the initial, development, mid-season and late-season stages were 0.45, 0.79, 1.08and 0.84, respectively, while the average values of cowpea water require...
800x600 Field experiments were carried out at Gedarif rainfed area, eastern Sudan, during the sea... more 800x600 Field experiments were carried out at Gedarif rainfed area, eastern Sudan, during the seasons of 2001/02 and 2002/03, to study the effect of urea and its time of application on striga, other weeds and sorghum grain yield as well as its profitability when practicing Sarwala with and without urea (46% N). Urea (39 kg/fed) was added at seeding, at Sarwala and at 15 days after Sarwala. Sarwala was carried out 25-30 days from crop emergence. The results showed that there were no significant differences between the treatments in percent reduction of sorghum plant, striga and other weeds population. Sarwala with and without the addition of urea reduced crop, striga and other weeds population by 55.9%, 69.5% and 72.5%, respectively. Sarwala with urea application increased sorghum grain yield by 73% over Sarwala only. The increase in sorghum grain yield due to urea application at seeding, at Sarwala and at 15 days after Sarwala was 80%, 96% and 42%, respectively. The effect of fertil...
A computer programme was developed for selection of boom width and tank capacity of field sprayer... more A computer programme was developed for selection of boom width and tank capacity of field sprayer. The computer model was built up using Visual Basic (ver.6) computer programming language in which input data were inserted directly and output results were obtained easily on the computer screen or as a printout. The model was verified with data collected from some agricultural private companies in Gedarif area, Kenana agricultural implements factory and some data from the literature. The validity of the model was tested, and the results showed close agreement between the field measurements and the computer model predictions. The sensitivity analysis of the model revealed that changes in any of the input parameters used could directly affect the output of the model, such as boom width, tank capacity and work rate. The accuracy of the model was also tested statistically. The model is helpful in proper sprayers management and quick decision-making.
Rainfed agriculture in Gedarif state, Eastern Sudan is the main area for producing sorghum, the s... more Rainfed agriculture in Gedarif state, Eastern Sudan is the main area for producing sorghum, the staple food crop. The conventional farming (CF) system for sorghum is achieved by the use of Wide Level Disk (WLD) for seedbed preparation and seeding plus use of low inputs. The result is low yield compared to the potential. Conservation agriculture (CA) was tested elsewhere and proves its efficiency. It could be accomplished by seeding crops directly in previous crop residues via special planter concurrently with applying fertilizers and herbicides. Sustainable improvement of sorghum yield is necessary to secure food for the growing population this could be attained through implementing a new adaptive cropping system. The objectives of this study were to assess the performance of sorghum under CF and CA in rainfed areas in addition to perform economic analyses. The CA was conducted during two seasons (2012 and 2013) in farmer's fields Southern Gedarif State and compared with the adj...
A project was conducted in rainfed areas southern Gedarif State, to improve sorghum productivity ... more A project was conducted in rainfed areas southern Gedarif State, to improve sorghum productivity of small-scale farmers. The project implemented conservation agriculture (CA) in 2.1 hectares for each participated small-scale farmer during the period from 2014 to 2017. The objective of this study was to conduct economic analysis for sorghum production under conventional farming (CF) and conservation agriculture (CA). Data on production costs, yield and income of sorghum by using CA and CF systems were collected through questionnaire from small-scale farmers participated in the project for three consecutive seasons (2014 to 2016). Sixty farmers out of 150 farmers (40%) participated in the project for the three seasons were randomly interviewed, and economic indicators were used. The results showed that CA gave higher sorghum grain yield (1797 kg/ha) compared to CF (881kg/ha). Also, the total production cost was higher for CA (3963 SDG/ha) compared to the total production cost of CF (2...
a field experiment was conducted, at Gedarif University Research Farm, for two consecutive season... more a field experiment was conducted, at Gedarif University Research Farm, for two consecutive seasons (2006/07 and 2007/08). The objectives of the experiment were to determine the accuracy of external fluted wheel seed metering devices for seeding crops by determining the relationship between the calibrated and actual seed rates for different crops. A wide level disk seeder box equipped with seed metering devices of the external fluted wheel type was used. Five crops of different seed sizes were tested. The calibrated seed rate was determined, using the conventional method when the machine was motionless, and the actual seed rate was determined by using cloth bags to receive seeds when the machine was in motion. The results revealed that actual seed rates were significantly lower than calibrated seed rates for all tested crops. The actual seed rate was 95%, 88%, 96%, 95% and 85% of the calibrated seed rate for sorghum, millet, sesame, sunflower and cotton, respectively. High linear cor...
s and recommendations of previous Agricultural Engineering Workshops and Seminars. A paper presen... more s and recommendations of previous Agricultural Engineering Workshops and Seminars. A paper presented (in Arabic) to the workshop on the role of Agricultural Engineering for Promoting and Improving Agricultural Production. Khartoum, Sudan. [2]. Abdallah, A. M., Dahab, M. H. and Yousif A, El hag 2002. Research and the development of manufacturing of agricultural machineries. A paper Presented (in Arabic) to the Workshop on the Role of Agricultural Engineering for Promoting and Improving Agricultural Production. Khartoum, Sudan. [3]. Mohamed, Iz Alden H. 2002. The role of training in transferring of agricultural engineering technologies. A paper Presented (in Arabic) to the Workshop on the Role of Agricultural Engineering for Promoting and Improving Agricultural Production. Khartoum, Sudan. [4]. Chaudhary, A. P. and Ahmed, S. I, 1988. Field Replacing of Farm Machinery. Agriculture. Agricultural Mechanization in Asia, Africa and Latin America. Vol. 17 No. 2, 17-22. [5]. Haque, M. A., Om...
Rainfed agriculture is practiced in the central clay plains of Sudan and is affected by the high ... more Rainfed agriculture is practiced in the central clay plains of Sudan and is affected by the high rainfall variability in time and space within and between seasons. This study focused on analyzing rainfall variability and trend using a 30-year record (1985-2014) of seven meteorological stations at the major agricultural production areas in Gedarif state in eastern Sudan. Yearly rainfall has relatively low variability compared to monthly variability. According to annual rainfall totals, it was possible to classify stations into two groups; one with annual rainfall more than 600 mm and the second with rainfall ranging between 500 to 600 mm. In both groups, the majority of rainfall (60%) occurred during July and August. Trends of rainfall were inconsistent and the cropping season extended from June to September. Farmers in areas having high rainfall and extended growing season (group I) could grow suitable crops and varieties and their appropriate management practices should be implemented. In areas of low rainfall and short growing seasons (group II), farmers could grow crops of short maturing varieties and water harvesting techniques. There is a need for research activities that examine rainfall trends and how agricultural practices might adapt accordingly.
The objectives of this study were to analyze energy input-output and to identify the energy use p... more The objectives of this study were to analyze energy input-output and to identify the energy use patterns for sunflower production in the mechanized rain fed agricultural schemes eastern Sudan. The results revealed that the total energy input used to produce sunflower was 1671.33 MJ ha-1 and the total energy output was 11882.83 MJ ha-1. Sunflower production was efficient in energy consumption. The result showed that the energy ratio of output to input was greater than seven. The results indicated that the average net energy, the energy productivity and the specific energy was 10211.5 MJ ha-1, 0.28 kg. MJ-1 and 3.52 MJ kg -1, respectively. Fuel energy input was the highest among the energy input items while hand labor energy input was lower. These results indicate the dependence of sunflower production in rain fed agricultural schemes eastern Sudan on machinery. This necessitated the availability and readiness of the relevant and appropriate machineries as well as sufficient amount of...
Sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) plays an essential role in Sudan economy, but its actual yield is low... more Sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) plays an essential role in Sudan economy, but its actual yield is low. Harvesting losses were considered as one factor which contributes to this low yield. The objectives of this research were to analyze and quantify sesame harvesting losses, and to estimate their economic values in the mechanized rainfed areas of Eastern Sudan. Four sesame cutter binders were tested, namely; BCS-I, BCS-II, Warta-2 and New life (a cutting and windrowing machine). The first two machines were self-propelled, the others were tractor operated. The study was conducted for three consecutive seasons, 2012 to 2014. Three types of loss were determined which were; pre-harvesting, machine (cutting and binding) and total losses. The collected data included; plant density, number of capsules per plant, number of fallen capsules before the introduction of machines and number of uncut and unbound capsules. The results showed that the overall average pre-harvesting loss was 0.6%. Cutting loss was 1%, 0.5%, 1.7% and 0.5% for BCS-I, BCS-II, Warta-2 and New life, respectively. Binding loss was between 2.8% for BCS-I and 3.3% for Warta-2, with an overall average of 3.1%. The average percent of machine and total harvesting losses were 3.2% and 3.8%, respectively. The estimated quantity of pre-harvest, machine and total losses were 1.32, 7.04 and 8.4 kg/ha, respectively. The results inferred that when half of the sesame area in Gedarif State is harvested by the tested machines, the estimated annual loss was 975 tons, which amounts to a total loss value of US$ 1.5 million, with an average US$ 10.1 loss value per hectare. The results concluded that the position of cutter bar with respect to the driver and the mechanism that prepare bundles for binding besides the knotting system are the machine features which affected mechanical harvesting losses of sesame crop.
The objective of this research work was to investigate the effects of planting methods and drip i... more The objective of this research work was to investigate the effects of planting methods and drip irrigation intervals on onion yield under silt-loamy soil. An experiment was conducted for two consecutive seasons (2014/15 and 2015/16). The experiment was composed of planting methods and drip irrigation intervals. The planting methods were flat, ridge and bed planting, whereas drip irrigation intervals were daily, every 3 days and every 5 days. The nine treatments were randomly laid out in a split-plot design with three replicates, the main plots were irrigation intervals and the subplots were allotted to planting methods. The calculated total water requirement for onion crop was 8113 and 7633 m3/ha in the first and second seasons, respectively. The results showed that the combination of flat planting and daily irrigation produced significantly the highest bulb weight (218.4g), marketable yield (43.8ton/ha) and highest total yield (46.6 ton/ha). The results revealed that flat planting ...
Field experiments were conducted in the mechanized rainfed areas of Gedarif State during two cons... more Field experiments were conducted in the mechanized rainfed areas of Gedarif State during two consecutive seasons, 2001 and 2002, in one site in the first season and two sites in the second season. The objective was to study the effect of Sarwala operation on the performance of some sorghum cultivars, namely, Gadambalia Bloom, Um Baneen, Arfa Gadamak, Tabut and Wad Ahmed. Seeds were sown at the rate of 7.5 kg/fed in both seasons. However, in the second season, additional sowing was done at the rate of 3.2 kg/fed for hand weeding. A randomized complete block design with four replicates was used. Sowing was carried out during the third and the fourth week of July for the first and the second seasons, respectively. Sarwala operation was done after 25-30 days from crop emergence. Crop plants were counted immediately before Sarwala, two weeks later and at harvest. Percent reductions in plants as well as the number of heads and grain yield were determined. Results showed that plant population before Sarwala depended on seed size. Sarwala significantly reduced sorghum stand. Irrespective to sorghum cultivars, Sarwala significantly increased grain yield compared to hand weeding; however, Tabut cultivar resulted in the lowest yield. Moreover, the results showed that Sarwala increased rain efficiency. The overall average rain efficiency for Sarwala was 2.54 kg/fed/mm while it was 1.63 kg/fed/mm for the hand weeding. The productivity of sorghum cultivars Gadambalia Bloom, Um Baneen, Arfa Gadamak and Wad Ahmed increased significantly with Sarwala compared to hand weeding in the mechanized rainfed areas of eastern Sudan.
Many tractor makes are working in the mechanized rainfed areas of eastern Sudan. Most of them are... more Many tractor makes are working in the mechanized rainfed areas of eastern Sudan. Most of them are two-wheel drive (2WD) tractors. However, information concerning their repair and maintenance (R and M) costs are inadequate. Moreover, depending on information on R and M costs from other farming systems or countries is unrealistic. Four tractors were studied, which were Massy Ferguson (MF-290), Ford (FD-6610), Belarus (BL-800) and New Holland (TT-75). The objectives were to develop mathematical models to estimate tractors' annual R and M costs, to rank the studied tractors according to their predicted R and M costs and to compare estimations of the general model developed from this study with models developed elsewhere. Data on purchase price, annual working hours, fuel consumption, R and M costs, labor wage and oil costs were collected. The regression and F test analyses methods were used. Results revealed that the power function Y= aX b can be used to estimate tractor R and M cos...
The objectives of this research were to design, develop and assess a seeder that can construct di... more The objectives of this research were to design, develop and assess a seeder that can construct ditch and regulate tree seeds in the bottom of the ditch. One seeder unit, of a horizontal seed plate metering type, was selected and jointed to the rear of a ditcher frame. Eight seed plates were made. Four for Hashab (Acacia senegal) and four for Talh (Acacia seyal) and they drilled to 1, 2, 3 and 4 cells according to the seed size of tree type. The developed seeder was tested during seasons 2011 and 2012 in rainfed and irrigated areas. The tested treatments for the two tree species were the combination of number of cells per seed plate and number of teeth on drive and driven gears combination. Some machine parameters, socioeconomic and cost analyses were studied. The developed seeder was mounted and operated by a tractor of 75 to 80 Hp. It constructs ditch and regulates spacing between tree seeds in the bottom of the ditch simultaneously. The resulting spacing between seedlings ranged f...
Direct combine harvesting of crops helps in solving the problem of labor shortage during harvest ... more Direct combine harvesting of crops helps in solving the problem of labor shortage during harvest period, timely harvest and obtaining good grain quality. A study was conducted in the mechanized rain fed schemes in Gedarif State eastern Sudan to evaluate the performance of different combine harvester makes, to quantify harvesting losses and to estimate the value of the losses for direct harvesting of sorghum. Three combine harvester makes were assessed, namely; New Holland, Claas and Massey Ferguson. The data was collected from 46 combine harvesters during three harvesting seasons (2014, 2015and 2016). The exact number of each combine harvester make was 21, 9 and 16 for New Holland, Claas and Massey Ferguson, respectively. The collected data included machine parameters, harvesting losses and economic data. Results showed that the average forward speed, work rate, field efficiency and fuel consumption, was 5.1 km/hr, 2.2 ha/hr, 86% and 7.4 l/ha, respectively. The three harvesters prod...
International Journal of Agronomy and Plant Production, 2013
Sorghum yield in mechanized rainfed areas of Eastern Sudan is low; however, there are opportuniti... more Sorghum yield in mechanized rainfed areas of Eastern Sudan is low; however, there are opportunities for yield improvement through managing cultural practices. A field experiment was conducted for two consecutive rainy seasons, 2003 and 2004, in the mechanized rainfed area northern Gedarif State, Sudan. The objective was to assess the effects of seedbed preparation, seeding method and Nitrogen fertilizer level on sorghum grain yield. The seedbed preparation methods were; untilled seedbed (T0) and tilled seedbed (T1) by the conventional machine wide level disk (WLD) plow. The seeding methods were, broadcasting by the WLD (M1) and row crop planter (M2). The Nitrogen fertilizer levels were 0 (N0), 47.6 (N1) and 95.2 (N2) kg urea/ha. Split-split plot design with four replicates was used with seedbed preparation as the main plot, seeding methods as sub-plot and Nitrogen level as sub-sub plot. Sowing was done in the second and the third week of July for the first and the second season, res...
Sesame is one of the main oil crops grown under dryland areas in Sennar state, Sudan. However, ra... more Sesame is one of the main oil crops grown under dryland areas in Sennar state, Sudan. However, rainfall is quite irregular within the season and between the seasons. Understanding the effect of rainfall variability on water requirement and yield of sesame is essential to help in selecting optimum management practices for crop production. The objective of this study was to determine the water requirement and water productivity of sesame crop grown under two agro-ecological zones and three farming systems. An experiment was conducted in two agroecological zones in Sennar State (semi-arid zone and semi-humid zone) during seasons 2014/2015 and 2015/2016.The tested cropping systems were conventional farming (CF), conservation agriculture (CA) and water harvesting techniques (WH). The collected data included weather data and sesame yield data. The results showed that the average values of reference evapotranspiration (ETO) during the two seasons ranged from 3.29 to 4.4 mm/day in semi-arid...
A field experiment was carried out during two consecutive rainy seasons (2008 and 2009) at Gedari... more A field experiment was carried out during two consecutive rainy seasons (2008 and 2009) at Gedarif University Research Farm. The objective was to assess the effect of two seedbed preparation methods, five nitrogen fertilizer rates and their interactions on the performance of a sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) hybrid (Hysun-33). The seedbed preparation methods were; conventional plowing (7 cm deep) using wide level disk and un-plowing. Nitrogen fertilizer in form of urea (46% N) was applied at rates of 0, 47.6, 95.2, 142.8 and 190.4 kg urea/ha. The experiment was arranged in a randomized complete block design in factorial arrangement with four replications. The urea was applied four weeks after crop emergence. Preparing the seedbed by the wide level disk accelerate the emergence and flowering of sunflower crop compared to un-plowed. Plowing seedbed had significantly and positively affected the sunflower attributes and significantly (P > 0.001) out yielded the un-plowed seedbed by ...
The main objective of this study was to develop a computer system to act as a tool for rainfall a... more The main objective of this study was to develop a computer system to act as a tool for rainfall analysis and crop selection in dry land farming areas. The system was prepared using MS-Excel and Visual Basic computer soft-wares. Annual rainfall totals were collected from Sudan Meteorological Authority for different stations, for a period of 33 years. The system calculates the probability P (%) of occurrence or execedance for each rain observations and inversely predicts the magnitude of the rain according to any probability level. Then according to the planned probability determines the crops that can be grown based on their water requirements. The verification and validation showed high levels of accuracy in prediction. The comparison between the actual and predicted rainfall gave a high correlation coefficient (R2 = 0.87).The sensitivity analysis of the units showed that different input variables can affect the output results. The system was applied for Gedarif (Sudan) by using ann...
A field experiment was conducted in two agro-ecological zones in Sennar State, Sudan during seaso... more A field experiment was conducted in two agro-ecological zones in Sennar State, Sudan during seasons2014/2015 and 2015/2016to estimate crop water requirement and water productivity of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp) under three farming systems (conventional farming (CF), conservation agriculture (CA) and Water Harvesting (WH).The agro-ecological zones were semi-arid zone (Sennar Research Station Farm) and semi-humid zone (Abu Naama Research Station Farm). The Weather and crop data were collected during the study period. CROPWAT 8.0software was used to compute reference evapotranspiration (ETO), crop factor (Kc) and the crop water requirement (ETC). The analysis showed that the average values of ETO rangedbetween1.2 and5.0 mm/day in semi-arid zone, and between1.56and4.86 mm/day in the semi-humid zone. The average Kc values during the initial, development, mid-season and late-season stages were 0.45, 0.79, 1.08and 0.84, respectively, while the average values of cowpea water require...
800x600 Field experiments were carried out at Gedarif rainfed area, eastern Sudan, during the sea... more 800x600 Field experiments were carried out at Gedarif rainfed area, eastern Sudan, during the seasons of 2001/02 and 2002/03, to study the effect of urea and its time of application on striga, other weeds and sorghum grain yield as well as its profitability when practicing Sarwala with and without urea (46% N). Urea (39 kg/fed) was added at seeding, at Sarwala and at 15 days after Sarwala. Sarwala was carried out 25-30 days from crop emergence. The results showed that there were no significant differences between the treatments in percent reduction of sorghum plant, striga and other weeds population. Sarwala with and without the addition of urea reduced crop, striga and other weeds population by 55.9%, 69.5% and 72.5%, respectively. Sarwala with urea application increased sorghum grain yield by 73% over Sarwala only. The increase in sorghum grain yield due to urea application at seeding, at Sarwala and at 15 days after Sarwala was 80%, 96% and 42%, respectively. The effect of fertil...
A computer programme was developed for selection of boom width and tank capacity of field sprayer... more A computer programme was developed for selection of boom width and tank capacity of field sprayer. The computer model was built up using Visual Basic (ver.6) computer programming language in which input data were inserted directly and output results were obtained easily on the computer screen or as a printout. The model was verified with data collected from some agricultural private companies in Gedarif area, Kenana agricultural implements factory and some data from the literature. The validity of the model was tested, and the results showed close agreement between the field measurements and the computer model predictions. The sensitivity analysis of the model revealed that changes in any of the input parameters used could directly affect the output of the model, such as boom width, tank capacity and work rate. The accuracy of the model was also tested statistically. The model is helpful in proper sprayers management and quick decision-making.
Rainfed agriculture in Gedarif state, Eastern Sudan is the main area for producing sorghum, the s... more Rainfed agriculture in Gedarif state, Eastern Sudan is the main area for producing sorghum, the staple food crop. The conventional farming (CF) system for sorghum is achieved by the use of Wide Level Disk (WLD) for seedbed preparation and seeding plus use of low inputs. The result is low yield compared to the potential. Conservation agriculture (CA) was tested elsewhere and proves its efficiency. It could be accomplished by seeding crops directly in previous crop residues via special planter concurrently with applying fertilizers and herbicides. Sustainable improvement of sorghum yield is necessary to secure food for the growing population this could be attained through implementing a new adaptive cropping system. The objectives of this study were to assess the performance of sorghum under CF and CA in rainfed areas in addition to perform economic analyses. The CA was conducted during two seasons (2012 and 2013) in farmer's fields Southern Gedarif State and compared with the adj...
A project was conducted in rainfed areas southern Gedarif State, to improve sorghum productivity ... more A project was conducted in rainfed areas southern Gedarif State, to improve sorghum productivity of small-scale farmers. The project implemented conservation agriculture (CA) in 2.1 hectares for each participated small-scale farmer during the period from 2014 to 2017. The objective of this study was to conduct economic analysis for sorghum production under conventional farming (CF) and conservation agriculture (CA). Data on production costs, yield and income of sorghum by using CA and CF systems were collected through questionnaire from small-scale farmers participated in the project for three consecutive seasons (2014 to 2016). Sixty farmers out of 150 farmers (40%) participated in the project for the three seasons were randomly interviewed, and economic indicators were used. The results showed that CA gave higher sorghum grain yield (1797 kg/ha) compared to CF (881kg/ha). Also, the total production cost was higher for CA (3963 SDG/ha) compared to the total production cost of CF (2...
a field experiment was conducted, at Gedarif University Research Farm, for two consecutive season... more a field experiment was conducted, at Gedarif University Research Farm, for two consecutive seasons (2006/07 and 2007/08). The objectives of the experiment were to determine the accuracy of external fluted wheel seed metering devices for seeding crops by determining the relationship between the calibrated and actual seed rates for different crops. A wide level disk seeder box equipped with seed metering devices of the external fluted wheel type was used. Five crops of different seed sizes were tested. The calibrated seed rate was determined, using the conventional method when the machine was motionless, and the actual seed rate was determined by using cloth bags to receive seeds when the machine was in motion. The results revealed that actual seed rates were significantly lower than calibrated seed rates for all tested crops. The actual seed rate was 95%, 88%, 96%, 95% and 85% of the calibrated seed rate for sorghum, millet, sesame, sunflower and cotton, respectively. High linear cor...
s and recommendations of previous Agricultural Engineering Workshops and Seminars. A paper presen... more s and recommendations of previous Agricultural Engineering Workshops and Seminars. A paper presented (in Arabic) to the workshop on the role of Agricultural Engineering for Promoting and Improving Agricultural Production. Khartoum, Sudan. [2]. Abdallah, A. M., Dahab, M. H. and Yousif A, El hag 2002. Research and the development of manufacturing of agricultural machineries. A paper Presented (in Arabic) to the Workshop on the Role of Agricultural Engineering for Promoting and Improving Agricultural Production. Khartoum, Sudan. [3]. Mohamed, Iz Alden H. 2002. The role of training in transferring of agricultural engineering technologies. A paper Presented (in Arabic) to the Workshop on the Role of Agricultural Engineering for Promoting and Improving Agricultural Production. Khartoum, Sudan. [4]. Chaudhary, A. P. and Ahmed, S. I, 1988. Field Replacing of Farm Machinery. Agriculture. Agricultural Mechanization in Asia, Africa and Latin America. Vol. 17 No. 2, 17-22. [5]. Haque, M. A., Om...
Rainfed agriculture is practiced in the central clay plains of Sudan and is affected by the high ... more Rainfed agriculture is practiced in the central clay plains of Sudan and is affected by the high rainfall variability in time and space within and between seasons. This study focused on analyzing rainfall variability and trend using a 30-year record (1985-2014) of seven meteorological stations at the major agricultural production areas in Gedarif state in eastern Sudan. Yearly rainfall has relatively low variability compared to monthly variability. According to annual rainfall totals, it was possible to classify stations into two groups; one with annual rainfall more than 600 mm and the second with rainfall ranging between 500 to 600 mm. In both groups, the majority of rainfall (60%) occurred during July and August. Trends of rainfall were inconsistent and the cropping season extended from June to September. Farmers in areas having high rainfall and extended growing season (group I) could grow suitable crops and varieties and their appropriate management practices should be implemented. In areas of low rainfall and short growing seasons (group II), farmers could grow crops of short maturing varieties and water harvesting techniques. There is a need for research activities that examine rainfall trends and how agricultural practices might adapt accordingly.
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