Application of the Center of Gravity Principle (Geometric Center-Centroid) to Optimize Travel and Starting Times Using Fertilizer Application Clusters
Sustainability is based on more efficient and profitable productive processes that pursue the reduction of the environmental impact caused by the use of agricultural machinery in oil palm plantations. Traditionally, agricultural activities in Colombia have been planned on the basis of prior experiences and intuition in order to accomplish the assigned tasks. Modern production requires strategic planning based on actual data that facilitate the use of equipment to its fullest potential, thus minimizing operation costs and optimizing travel times. Data on travel times required for fertilization campaigns were obtained using a Verion monitoring system (Vcom5.6) Novatel GPS, 10 Hz, mounted on a Massey Fergusson 292 Advanced tractor, 105 hp, during the past 2 years. This period covered the last 12 fertilization campaigns conducted in a 1,164 ha oil palm plantation located in Yopal, Casanare (Colombia). Once travel times were verified, we found that recorded average speed was 5.8 km/h at an average daily movement rate of 54.2 ha. By summarizing fertilization dates on the plots, we found that during 10.4 hours of work the total application was carried out in 22 days, with 15 % of the time spent in travel time. This represents 15 working days for total yearly application.
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| Format: | Digital revista |
| Language: | spa |
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Fedepalma
2019
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| Online Access: | https://publicaciones.fedepalma.org/index.php/palmas/article/view/13046 |
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