Final report appendix 6

Soil moisture and tension

Mean soil tension at 15cm depth on the site was -10.2 kPa, the median -7.6 kPa and it ranged from a minimum of -68 kPa on the 06/12/09 to a maximum of -0.06 kPa on the 11/12/09. Soil tension was less than -40 kPa 2% and -20 kPa 5% of the crop period.

Crop 3

Of the harvester runs for crop 3 only 4 were ≥ 50 G and of these all were of medium impact (Table 6.2). This equates to 0.2 impacts of ≥ 50 G occurring every run on average. Eighteen percent of runs had an impact of medium severity with 77.2 G being the highest recorded reading.

Of the bunker drops there were only 8 that were ≥ 50 G and all of these were medium severity impacts (Table 6.3). The highest recorded impact was 88.2 G and there was on average 0.7 impacts ≥ 50 G every runs. Sixty-four percent of total runs recorded an impact of medium severity whilst the remainder were low impacts (Figure 6.10).

When the data is combined the percentage breakdown of the impacts indicates only low and medium impacts occurred during crop 3 (Figure 6.10). Medium impacts accounted for 70% of all impacts recorded.

Tuber temperature at the time of harvest was 12.7°C and the average time it took the Smart Spud™ to travel from location one to location 5 (Figure 6.3) was approximately 47.1 seconds.

Soil conditions

The mean soil temperature at 15cm was 19.2°C, the median 19.0°C and the range from a minimum of 13°C on the 28/11/09 to a maximum of 27.4°C on the 1/03/10 (Figure )

Figure 6.5: Temperature information for crop 3.

Soil moisture and tension

Mean soil tension at 15cm depth on the site was -13.4 kPa, the median -11.6 kPa and it ranged from a minimum of -58 kPa on the 11/12/09 to a maximum of -13.4 kPa on the 27/12/09. Soil tension was less than -40 kPa 2% and -20 kPa 7% of the crop period.

Crop 4

The tuber temperature at harvest was on average 11.1°C whilst on average it took 52.4 seconds for the tubers to move from impact point 1 to the bins (Table 6.4).

Soil conditions

The mean soil temperature at 15cm was 21.3°C, the median 20.9°C and the range from a minimum of 14°C on the 25/04/10 to a maximum of 31.7°C on the 6/01/10 (Figure 6.7)

Soil moisture and tension

Mean soil tension at 15cm depth on the site was -15.0 kPa, (median -16.5 kPa) and the range from a minimum of -78 kPa on the 11/02/10 to a maximum of -1.1 kPa on the 23/03/10 (incomplete data set). Soil tension was less than -40 kPa 2% and -20 kPa 7% of the crop period.

Crop 5a

Of the bunker to bin drops 32% were low impacts only, 55% were medium impact, 14% high impact (100-149 G) and 5% were very high impacts (150-200 G) (Table 6.3). Twenty of the drops were above the 50 G threshold which equates to 0.9 impacts of this nature every drop. Of the twenty impacts above 50 G, 80% were of medium impact, 15% high and 5% very high impacts. Average G force above 50 was 83.1 G with the maximum impact recorded being 168.4 G.

When the data from the harvester and bunker are combined 40% of runs recorded only low impacts, 48% were medium impact, 9% were high and 3 % were very high (Figure 6.10).

Tuber temperature at harvest was 8.4°C and on average it took 49.2 seconds for the IS to move from impact point 1 to the bunker, impact point 5 (Table 6.4).

Soil conditions

Soil moisture and tension

Mean soil tension at 15cm depth on the site was -37.5 kPa, (median -50.0 kPa) and the range from a minimum of -59 kPa on the 10/02/10 to a maximum of -1.2 kPa on the 03/04/10. Soil tension was more than -20 kPa 100% of the crop period.

Crop 5b

Of the 12 bunker drops 33% were low impact only, 58% recorded a medium impact, 17% were high impact and 8% were extremely high impact (>200 G). Ten impacts were recorded that were greater than 50 G that equates to 0.8 of these impacts every drop. Of the ten drops 70% were medium impact, 20% were high impact and the remainder 10% was extremely high impact. Average impact greater than 50 G was 88.9 G and the maximum impact recorded was 202.9 G.

When the harvester runs and bunker drops were combined for this operator there were 43% of runs of low impact, 46% medium impact, 7% high impact and 4% extremely high impact (Table 6.3).

Tuber temperature at the time of harvest was 8.4°C and it took on average 40.2 seconds for the IS to move from impact point 1 to impact point 5 (Table 6.4).

Crop 6

There were a total of 42 impacts greater than 50 G for this crop that equates to an impact of this magnitude every 2.1 runs. Of the 42 impacts approximately 74% were medium G force, 14% were high impact, 5% were very high impact and 7% were extremely high impact (Figure 6.10). The highest recorded reading was 314 G with the average G force above 50 was 92.2.

Soil conditions

Soil moisture and tension

Mean soil tension at 30cm depth on the site was -23.0 kPa, the median -19.0 kPa and it ranged from a minimum of -67 kPa on the 08/02/10 to a maximum of -0.6 kPa on the 27/03/10.