The Indian Society of Agricultural Engineers
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Morphometric Analysis and Soil Erosion Assessment Using Remote Sensing and Geographic Information System in Karauli Watershed of Rajasthan, India
No full textSoil erosion deteriorates the land and creates environmental problems, and hence, its assessment is requisite for sustainable development and management of natural resources in a watershed. Also, knowledge about morphometric parameters is essential for understanding and managing watershed-scale soil erosion. In this study, soil erosion is estimated for Karauli watershed of Rajasthan, India, where semi-arid climate exacerbates soil degradation risks. In this study, morphometric parameters, i.e., stream order, stream length, bifurcation ratio, form factor, ruggedness number, drainage density, stream frequency, and relief were computed using high-resolution (12.5 m) Advanced Land Observing Satellite - Phased Array type L-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (ALOS PALSAR) digital elevation model (DEM). The results revealed that the watershed is of 7th order with total of 3635 streams. Further, the revised universal soil loss equation (RUSLE) model was employed to quantify soil erosion. All the RUSLE factors were determined based on the average annual rainfall map, soil properties, DEM, normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), and land use/land cover (LULC). It was found that drainage density varied from 0.20-5.34 km km-2; the high values of drainage density and steep slopes (greater than 37%) suggested high runoff potential and increased soil erosion towards the southern and northern parts of the watershed. The value of crop management and conservation practice factor in the poorly vegetated area was close to one. All the factors were combined in geographic information system and a soil loss map was developed. It was observed that most of the watershed lands were under the soil loss category of less than 10 t ha-1 yr-1. Morphometric analysis along with the RUSLE modeling enhanced understanding of spatial soil erosion dynamics and provided a scientific basis for prioritizing sub-watersheds and implementing targeted soil and water conservation measures. This study delivered a comprehensive erosion risk assessment framework for semi-arid watershed management
Spatio-Temporal Dynamics of Land Use/Land Cover Change Using Remote Sensing and GIS Techniques in Ambegaon Taluka, Maharashtra, India
No full textUnderstanding land use/land cover (LULC) changes is a crucial step for the optimum utilization and development of land resources and to employ land usage schemes satisfactorily to meet the growing demands for human needs and welfare. This study analyzes the temporal dynamics of LULC alterations using remote sensing and geographical information system (GIS) techniques in Ambegaon taluka of Pune district in Maharashtra, India. The study employed the maximum likelihood classifier method to identify five LULC categories viz., agricultural land, settlement, water body, forest land, and barren land through supervised classification. It examined the changes in LULC over two periods, i.e., 2013-2016 and 2016-2019, influenced by both anthropogenic activities and natural factors. Satellite imageries of LANDSAT 8 for the years 2013, 2016 and 2019 were analyzed to create the LULC maps. The results indicated a significant shift in LULC patterns over the two periods. Specifically, agricultural land expanded by 22.73%, barren lands decreased by 11.34% and settlements increased by 16.10%. Additionally, there was a minor decrease of 0.09% in water bodies and a substantial reduction (23.48%) in forest lands. Population growth, rising food demand, economic pressures and incentives might have driven the conversion of barren and forest lands into agriculture, at the cost of deforestation, over-extraction of limited water resources, and the reduction of water bodies in the study area. This analysis could offer valuable insights into how land cover is distributed and composed, which is essential for making informed decisions in environmental management, urban planning, and resource allocation in the study area. This study can also aid in identifying vulnerable areas prone to landslides, such as Malin village incidence occurred in 2014, and enabling the implementation of sustainable land use management practices to mitigate risks
Assessing the Influence of Coastal Salt Pans on Land Surface Temperature: A Google Earth Engine-Based Study
No full textLand surface temperature (LST) provides critical insight into the thermal behaviour of different land cover types, especially in sensitive coastal landscapes. In India, salt fields in the Thoothukudi district of Tamil Nadu State, covering about 101 km2, contribute a major share in the total salt output of the country. This study assessed the influence of coastal salt pans on LST dynamics in Thoothukudi district using multi-temporal Landsat 8 data of the 2019-2023 period within Google Earth Engine (GEE). Unlike the earlier studies dealing with LST dynamics in urban or agricultural landscapes, this study quantifies the distinct thermal behaviour of active salt-production land and the surrounding vegetation. Differences in the LST dynamics were comparatively evaluated in different land cover types, i.e., sand, vegetation zones near and away from salt pans, built-up land and salt pans. This study uniquely contributes by introducing a comparative LST evaluation in two vegetation covers, one in close proximity to salt pans and another away from them. The results revealed the effect of a localized microclimate, which is not documented in the earlier studies. The Normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), surface emissivity, and thermal band (Band 10) of Landsat 8 were used to determine LST. The results showed that the mean LST values of 27.11°C in sand, 26.95°C in built-up areas, 25.78°C in salt pans and 24.54°C in distant vegetation cover in the order of sand > built-up areas > salt pans > vegetation cover (near salt pans) > vegetation cover (away from salt pans). Further, the vegetation covers close to salt pans and built-up areas had comparatively higher LST values due to the influence of surrounding salt pans and built-up areas. Also, the LST of sand was almost comparable to that of salt pans. Findings of this study are useful to policymakers in planning appropriate strategies for land management and to overcome the impact of LST in future
Continuous Fixed-Bed Column Defluoridation of Groundwater Using Activated bark of Azadirachta indica and Prosopis juliflora
No full textThis study evaluates the defluoridation efficiency of calcined and acid activated bark of Azadirachta indica and Prosopis juliflora Sw. (DC.) using a laboratory-scale fixed-bed column and fluoride contaminated groundwater (initial fluoride concentration~4.7 mg L-1) from Shavantgera village, Karnataka. Experiments were conducted as a continuous flow study, with flow rates adjusted to achieve flow duration of 250 min for Azadirachta indica (25 g, pH~8.0) and 200 min for Prosopis juliflora (20 g, pH~7.0). Under these conditions, Azadirachta indica achieved nearly complete fluoride removal (final concentration~0.04 mg L-1), while Prosopis juliflora achieved 86.4% removal (final fluoride concentration~0.64 mg L-1). Kinetic analysis indicated a strong fit to the pseudo second-order model (coefficient of determination (R²) = 0.995-0.996), suggesting that chemisorption governs fluoride uptake. Equilibrium modelling showed better correlation with the Langmuir isotherm, consistent with monolayer adsorption behaviour. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) analysis revealed increased surface roughness and porosity after activation, while Fourier transform infrared-spectroscopy (FTIR) confirmed the involvement of hydroxyl and carbonyl functional groups in fluoride binding. Based on endpoint column measurements, the adsorption capacities were found to be 0.093 mg g-1 for Azadirachta indica and 0.102 mg g-1 for Prosopis juliflora. Although continuous breakthrough curves were not recorded, the study demonstrated the practical potential of the abundantly available and low-cost biosorbents for rural defluoridation applications
Advancing Mango Leaf Disease Detection with YOLOv11 Incorporating White Scale and Cottony Cushion Scale
No full textMango cultivation plays a vital role in India’s agricultural economy, but leaf diseases such as Bacterial Black Spot, Die Back, Sooty Mould, White Scale, and Cottony Cushion Scale cause significant yield losses. Among these, White Scale and Cottony Cushion Scale are rarely studied in the existing literature, and no prior work has addressed application of deep learning approaches for mango leaf disease detection. Traditional diagnosis approaches are slow, error-prone, and unsuitable for large-scale monitoring. This paper proposes a novel YOLOv11-based deep learning framework for real-time mango leaf disease detection on a custom 3,000-image dataset collected from Saharanpur, India, covering five major diseases and healthy leaves. The proposed model was benchmarked against recent state-of-the-art (SOTA) approaches, including ResNet50, EfficientNetB0, MobileNetV3, and DenseNet78. YOLOv11 achieved a precision of 0.964, a recall of 0.976, an F1-score of 0.97, and a [email protected] of 0.983, outperforming ResNet50 by +2.4% and EfficientNetB0 by +1.1% in mAP. A non-parametric Wilcoxon signed-rank test confirmed the statistical significance (p < 0.05) of the improvements over all baselines. Furthermore, the model was integrated into an Android application for real-time deployment, enabling early detection and treatment to support precision agriculture. This contribution demonstrates not only improved accuracy but also the first inclusion of White Scale and Cottony Cushion Scale detection using YOLOv11, making it a novel step forward for mango disease management and sustainable farming
Input Optimization for Energy Savings in Soybean Crop: A Critical Assessment in Central India
No full textEfficient use of agricultural inputs is critical for increasing energy productivity and promising sustainable crop production. This study provides critical evaluation of input optimization options for soybean cultivation, with energy usage quantification, identifying inefficiencies, and assessment on possible savings. A survey among soybean producers was conducted to determine energy consumption pattern. The Banker-Charnes-Cooper input-oriented model was adopted and projected energy for various sources was calculated for fuel (3376±805 MJ ha-1), machinery (342±112 MJ ha-1), human (345±248 MJ ha-1), chemical (5033±591 MJ ha-1), and seed (1523±356 MJ ha-1), with possible overall energy saving of 5.6%. Data envelopment analysis (DEA) is used to provide meaningful comparisons between decision-making units. Greater variability was seen in chemical, fuel, and seed use; this indicates a need for better control of these inputs. DEA results show that fuel and chemical inputs offer the highest potential for energy savings, accounting for 89% of total possible savings. This study highlights the potential for energy saving in soybean cultivation through effective energy management and depicts the adaptation of decision-support tools to increase soybean production sustainability.
Development and Field Evaluation of an IoT-based Smart Groundwater Monitoring System
No full textIt is crucial to accurately measure spatio-temporal changes in groundwater levels to address the issue of fast-depleting water table at a rate of 54 cm year-1 in Punjab state of India. The advent of Internet of Things (IoT) and sensor-based technology offers a feasible solution for real-time monitoring of groundwater levels. In this study, an IoT-based Smart Groundwater Monitoring System (SGWMS) is developed to enable real-time groundwater monitoring. The SGWMS comprises of two units, the data acquisition unit (DAU) and the data transfer unit (DTU), which work together to detect and measure the groundwater depth from ground surface. Unlike a conventional water-level indicator (WLI) that requires field personnel, SGWMS performs time-scheduled measurements and uploads time-stamped groundwater depth to the ThingSpeak cloud platform using Global System for Mobile (GSM) communications/General Packet Radio Service (GPRS) communication. The system is installed at an observation well and the sensing probe is lowered only during each measurement cycle to detect water contact and estimate depth, and then retracted to a fixed position, enabling repeated measurements with improved temporal resolution compared with periodic manual monitoring. Field evaluation of the developed system was performed by comparing observations recorded by SGWMS at three wells in Ludhiana with observations recorded by a water-level indicator over a depth ranging from 33 to 36 m. The system demonstrated a close agreement with the indicator-recorded groundwater levels (root mean square error ~0.024-0.069 m) with no statistically significant difference between two observations (paired t-test, p < 0.05) after introducing a correction factor to avoid systematic overestimation caused by mechanical stopping lag. The developed prototype costs approximately Rs. 12,100, which is lower than the available water-level indicator (Rs. 25,000), while additionally providing automated logging. With the potential to replicate this prototype, it offers an innovative solution to tackle the pressing issue of declining groundwater resources in Punjab
Development and Evaluation of an Automated Alternate Wetting and Drying System in Rice Cultivation for Water Management
No full textTo overcome the challenges posed by climate variability on food security, it is imperative to reduce agricultural water usage and check release of greenhouse gases. This study aims to develop and evaluate an automated alternate wetting and drying (AAWD) system to reduce water usage and methane emissions from fields of rice, which is cultivated in a major part of the land in India. The developed AAWD system incorporates ultrasonic sensors, an ESP32 microcontroller, and the Blynk application for the real-time water-level monitoring and automating irrigation applications. The system is programmed to initiate irrigation when the water level drops up to 15 cm below ground surface and cease irrigation when the water storage depth extends beyond 5 cm from ground surface. Although improvements in plant growth parameters were not statistically significant under the AAWD system, the system effectively conserved water by precisely controlling irrigation intervals and water levels, resulting in a remarkable reduction of approximately 50% to 70% in water usage. The cost analysis confirmed the AAWD system as a cost-effective solution with about 18% improvement in benefit-cost ratio in comparison to flood irrigation for sustainable rice farming, with the potential to enhance both environmental and agricultural outcomes. Furthermore, the study utilized a sensor-based gas chamber equipped with an MQ4 sensor to accurately measure methane concentrations. Results showed that the AAWD system substantially reduced methane emissions, with levels dropping to 0.55 ppm. This reduction not only boosts the sustainability of paddy cultivation but also contributes to the global efforts in mitigating greenhouse gas emissions. The AAWD system also fostered continuous and healthy crop growth, indicating a strong potential for high grain yields at harvest
Development and Performance Analysis of a Pedal-Operated Wadi (Nuggets) Making Machine
No full textThis study presents development and performance evaluation of a pedal‑operated wadi (nuggets) making machine, designed to improve productivity, hygiene and product uniformity compared with traditional hand‑forming methods. Conventional wadi preparation is highly labour -intensive and often produces inconsistent products, whereas the proposed system reduces direct manual handling, enhances hygienic conditions and increases throughput. The machine consists of a hopper, a pair of grooved rollers, a pedal-driven transmission system, and a manual cutting unit. During operation, the pedaling action of the operator is converted into continuous rotary motion via a pedal–wheel and pulley arrangement. This motion drives the synchronized grooved rollers, which control the flow of the batter, while a manually operated cutting blade periodically cuts the extruded batter into uniform wadis. Process parameters were optimized using Response Surface Methodology (RSM) with a Central Composite Design (CCD). Roller speed (18–30 rpm), batter moisture content [45%–70% wet basis (wb)], and cutting speed (20–30 strokes min-1) were taken as independent variables, and throughput was used as the response variable. The optimum conditions of roller speed of 19.9 rpm, batter moisture content of 63.4% (wet basis), and cutting speed of 28 strokes min-1 yielded a predicted throughput of 10.62 kg h-1, which was in good agreement with experimental results, with a desirability value of 1.0. The cost–economic analysis indicated a payback period of about 1–2 months, suggesting that the machine is well suited for small‑scale and rural food processing enterprises
Ergonomic Refinement of Manual Multi-Row Seed Planter from Pull to Push Type: A Postural and Physiological Assessment
No full textManual multi-row seed planters are commonly used by marginal farmers, but amongst them, pull-type models often cause operator discomfort and reduced efficiency, mainly due to the single handle and backward movement. This study aimed to redesign and improve the seed planter into a push-type configuration and evaluate its effects on operator physiology, posture, and field performance. The push-type planter was improved using anthropometric data and ergonomic guidelines to eliminate the need for walking backward, minimise physical strain, and enhance handling efficiency. The push-type design maintained moderate work severity, whereas the pull-type exceeded ergonomic thresholds with moderate to heavy severity. Physiological workload (heart rate and energy expenditure) and postural risk were evaluated in twelve farm workers (n = 12) to ergonomically refine a conventional manual multi-row seed planter from a pull-type to a push-type configuration. The participants represented a typical adult farming population, with ages ranging from 23 to 54 years and diverse body dimensions relevant to manual planter operation. Lower mean heart rate (108 vs. 117 beats min-1), decreased energy expenditure (15.0 vs. 17.0 kJ min-1), and improved posture based on Rapid Entire Body Assessment (REBA) scores (6.4 vs. 8.3) were observed with the improved push-type design vs. the existing pull-type design. Forward-facing operation and improved balance enhance user control and safety, reducing the risk of slips or falls, unlike backward movement in pull-type models. Additionally, the push-type planter achieved better field performance, with a higher capacity (0.088 ha h-1) and reduced labour requirement (11 man-h ha-1) compared to the pull-type. Overall, the ergonomic transformation to a push-type design led to significant improvements in comfort, safety, and efficiency, contributing a more sustainable and inclusive solution for small-scale farm mechanization