Some methods to identify farm crops include: - Field inspection Through field inspection, crop identification can be established by visual ...
Some methods to identify farm crops include:
-Field inspection
Through field inspection, crop identification can be established by visual inspection of the crop field and its environment.
It is a key method in the whole process of certification for the verification of the seed quality when the crop is standing in the field and is subjected to the vagaries of weather and exposed to other known and unknown factors affecting its quality.
Field inspections are done by the seed certification inspector ( Field inspector ) from SSCA by examining seed crop in the field right from sowing upto harvesting. They verify key factor like, genetic purity, physical purity, seed health, which deteriorate seed quality in the field.
-Processing Tests
One method for identifying crops is through processing tests. The processing test is used to determine whether a crop is suitable for consumption or processed and whether it meets quality standards. This method requires samples of the plant material itself to be tested for moisture, oviposition and pest infestation.
-Genetic Testing
Genetic testing is also used to identify crops in certain situations such as when one specific variety of wheat has become contaminated with wheat stem rust which causes problems for grain production.
-Crop mapping
Crop mapping is an integral part of field monitoring. Crop maps are important to track agricultural land use and estimate crop production at any scale – be it the whole world, a particular country, or a single field.
Often available in open access, such information is interesting both to farmers and non-farmers. Crop diversity maps are helpful to anyone eager to know what plants were cultivated all over the globe, where exactly, and when.
In the past, crop mapping data was collected with traditional methods like statistical reports, inventory records, or field inspection in person. Now, remote sensing essentially simplifies this labor- and time-consuming task. The great thing about satellite monitoring in mapping crop areas is that it allows farmers to check their field areas remotely. Besides, satellite imagery analytics provide more details on farmlands than just information on cultivated crop types and field acreage.
Remote sensing examines spectral reflectance, reporting on vegetation health, e.g., plant structure, moisture, and chlorophyll content. Optical remote sensors operate within visible, NIR, and SWIR spectral bands. Additionally, radar sensors can penetrate through clouds or haze, delivering necessary data almost irrespective of weather conditions. Further, GIS systems reference satellite imagery to definite geographical locations, creating GIS maps.
- Environmental monitoring
Environmental monitoring means using observational techniques and tools (such as sensors, wireless communications and remote management software) to detect, observe and measure environmental conditions at a specific site or location. However, the actual reality of these processes — the tools used, what parameters are selected, and how the processes are implemented — can vary greatly depending on the use case.
When adopting environmental monitoring, each organization needs to consider what its primary and secondary objectives are. Doing so will allow them to plan the strategic deployment of appropriately designed IoT devices.
- Ultrasonic inspection
Ultrasonic inspection uses a piezoelectrictransducer connected to a flaw detector, which in its most basic form is a pulser-receiver and oscilloscope display. The transducer is passed over the object being inspected, which is typically coupled to the test object by gel, oil or water. This couplant is required to efficiently transmit the sound energy from the transducer into the part, however This couplant is not required when performing tests with non-contact techniques such as electromagnetic acoustic transducer (EMAT) or by laser excitation.
Ultrasonic testing can be performed using two basic methods – pulse-echo and through-transmission:
▪︎With pulse echo testing, the same transducer emits and receives the sound wave energy. This method uses echo signals at an interface, such as the back of the object or an imperfection, to reflect the waves back to the probe. Results are shown as a line plot, with an amplitude on the y-axis representing the reflection’s intensity and distance or time on the x-axis, showing the depth of the signal through the material.
▪︎Through-transmission testing uses an emitter to send the ultrasound waves from one surface and a separate receiver to receive the sound energy that has reached the opposite side of the object. Imperfections in the material reduce the amount of sound that is received, allowing the location of flaws to be detected.
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