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Technologically Innovative Organic Sustainable Farming

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Title: Technologically Innovative Organic Sustainable Farming


1
Technologically Innovative Organic / Sustainable
Farming
  • Past and Future Research
  • By Hala Chaoui

2
OUTLINEWaste management research driven by the
search for a sustainable form of processed
waste, and a paradigm shift
  • Past research
  • Masters in Plant and Soil Sc. Earthworm casts
  • RA. Disease suppression in earthworm casts
  • PhD in Agricultural and Biological Engineering.
    Modeling the effect of electric fields on
    earthworms
  • Postdoc projects
  • Odor setback distance models
  • Instrumentation and programming (in yield
    monitors)
  • Compost biofilters for dairy manure
  • Effect of mixing on biodigester yield
  • Ammonia emission modeling
  • Advising undergraduate thesis
  • Managing lab
  • Outreach and innovation

3
OUTLINEWaste management research driven by the
search for a sustainable form of processed
waste, and a paradigm shift
  • Planned future research
  • Goal, develop technologically advanced organic
    farming
  • Principles and ideas for future research
  • Ideas on funding sources
  • Principles in guiding graduate students
  • Vision of paradigm shift in organic production
  • Conclusion

4
Past Research
5
Past Research gt Masters
  • Masters thesis, U Maine
  • comparing earthworms casts, compost and synthetic
    fertilizer
  • soil respiration BOD, biomass-C
  • plant nutrient uptake, mineralization rate,
    salinity
  • slow release, higher yields in earthworm casts
  • new topic, cited 13 times, 8th in Soil Biol. and
    Biochem., 2003.
  • Chaoui et al. 2003. Effects of earthworm casts
    and compost on soil microbial activity and plant
    nutrient availability. Soil Biology
    Biochemistry 35. 295-302
  • Research Assistant, OSU
  • suppression of damping off diseases in earthworm
    casts
  • Chaoui et al. 2002. Suppression of the plant
    parasitic diseases Pythium (damping off),
    Rhizoctonia (root rot) and Verticillium (wilt) by
    vermicompost. Proceedings Brighton Crop
    Protection

6
Past Research gt PhD
  • PhD
  • Shift to engineering
  • Thesis
  • goal more efficient earthworms separation in
    vermicomposting
  • design model for effectiveness of electric fields
    on separating earthworms from organic media
  • in second review in Biosystems Engineering
    Journal
  • Classes on molecular biology techniques, waste
    management, FE certificate, Autocad, microchip
    programming, ArcGIS
  • Biological and Agricultural Engineers work at the
    interface of science and engineering
  • Chaoui et al. 2006. Testing a model of the
    effectiveness of an electric field at repelling
    earthworms. ASABE Paper No. 067010
  • Chaoui et al. 2005. Modeling the effectiveness of
    an electric field at repelling earthworms. ASAE
    Paper No. 054153

7
Modeling the Effectiveness of an Electric Field
at Repelling Earthworms Advisor Dr. Harold
Keener
Past Research gt PhD gt PhD thesis gt Theory
  • V f(i, D, R, d, s) f(current, diameter and
    resistivity, electrode depth and spacing)
  • Dimensional analysis
  • Length unit cm, i in amps, R in Ohms
  • Electric field efficiency is a function of V
  • Electric field efficiency is measured as

8
Past Research gt PhD gt PhD thesis gt Methods
Experimental design
Other treatments 2, 12, 24, 35 mA, e. foetida,
7.5 cm depth, 2.8 cm spacing
9
An electric field
_
_


10
An electric fieldin the soil
_
_


11
An electric fieldin the soil repels earthworms
_
_


12
Past Research gt PhD gt PhD thesis gt Methods
E. hortensis
E. foetida
13
Past Research gt PhD gt PhD thesis gt Methods
  • Develop model for the electric fields
    effectiveness
  • Test model (soil porosity, moisture, salinity)
  • Find t100 , mortality, test AC vs. DC
  • Experimental set up soil slabs made of soil and
    earthworms
  • Reproducible systematic method

14
Past Research gt PhD gt PhD thesis gt Results
15
Past Research gt PhD gt PhD thesis gt Results
  • Verifying treatment effect (of inputs in model)

16
Past Research gt PhD gt PhD thesis gt
Results Experimental model

17
Past Research gt PhD gt PhD thesis gt Results
Relevance of soil properties (test the model)

18
Past Research gt Postdocs gt Penn State gt cost /
benefit analysis template
19
Past Research gt Postdocs
  • OSU, on air quality (3 months)
  • Models for setback distance from animal
    facilities, review and sensitivity analysis.
  • Study published in ASABE air quality symposium,
    Colorado Sept 2007
  • Chaoui Brugger. 2007. A review and sensitivity
    analysis of odor setback distance models.
    International Symposium on Air Quality and Waste
    Management for Agriculture. September 15-19, 2007
    in Broomfield, Colorado
  • Univ. of Florida (3 months)
  • Algorithm to process GPS and load cells data from
    a citrus yield monitor
  • Derive spatial yield map from GPS data, using arc
    GIS
  • Ehsani , R., Chaoui, H., Grejner-Brzezinska, D
    and Sullivan, M. A method of evaluating the
    performance of RTK GPS receivers used in
    Agriculture. 2006. Proceedings of the World
    Congress on Agricultural Engineering, 2006 and
    Proceedings of the Automation Technology for Off
    Road Equipment Conference.

20
Past Research gt Postdocs gt Penn State
  • Postdoc at Penn State University
  • Evaluating compost biofilters to mitigate ammonia
    and greenhouse gases
  • ASABE AIM proceedings, June 2007
  • Exploratory experiment on the effect of mixing on
    biogas yield in biodigesters
  • Progress in Biogas conference in Stuttgart,
    September 2007
  • Evaluating models for ammonia emissions from
    animal waste
  • In progress planned, Transactions of ASABE
  • Managed bio-processing lab
  • Co-developed wiki website online
  • Co-advisor in undergraduate thesis
  • Effect of biofilters on manure stack temperatures
  • Mentored in data collection, processing
  • Data analysis, organized writing

21
Past Research gt Postdocs gt Penn State
  • Pooling ideas for technologically advanced
    organic farming
  • organized a conference session on Innovative
    Technologies for Organic Farming, 2005 to 2007,
    ASABE
  • vice-president of ecological engineering
    committee at ASABE, officer for past 2 years
  • Bio Ag Engineering.net website

Adrian Bowyer Bath University, UK
Claus Sorensen Research Centre Bygholm, Denmark
22
Past Research gt Postdocs gt Penn State
  • Outreach through professional website and lab
    wiki site
  • Lit review on vermicomposting
  • Excel programs for optimized feed mix composition
  • Excel program for separation of means in
    statistics
  • Template for cost / benefit analysis
  • Excel macro and programs for filtering and
    processing sensors data

23
Past Research gt Postdocs gt Penn State gt Biofilters
  • Postdoc at Penn State University
  • Evaluating compost biofilters to mitigate ammonia
    and greenhouse gases
  • ASABE AIM proceedings, June 2007
  • Exploratory experiment on the effect of mixing on
    biogas yield in biodigesters
  • Progress in Biogas conference in Stuttgart,
    September 2007
  • Evaluating models for ammonia emissions from
    animal waste
  • In progress planned, Transactions of ASABE
  • Managed bio-processing lab
  • Co-developed wiki website online
  • Co-advisor in undergraduate thesis
  • Effect of biofilters on manure stack temperatures
  • Mentored in efficient data processing
  • data analysis, organized writing

24
Past Research gt Postdocs gt Penn State gt Biofilters
  • Rationale for evaluating the effect of biofilters
    of gaseous emissions from stacked dairy manure
  • Stacked manure emits NH3 , N2O , CO2, and CH4,
    H2O
  • GWP methane 23, nitrous oxide 296.
  • NH3 causes acidification and eutrophication
  • Chaoui et al. 2007. The effect of compost and
    earthworms casts biofilters on dairy manure stack
    emissions. ASABE Annual International Meeting.
    Minneapolis, Minnesota.

25
Past Research gt Postdocs gt Penn State gt
Biofilters gt Methods
26
Past Research gt Postdocs gt Penn State gt
Biofilters gt Experimental design
Are emission rates of NH3 , N2O , CO2, and CH4,
H2O affected by Biofilters? Biofilter filling,
thickness, moisture content, respiration
levels? By time, ambient and manure
temperatures? Random Complete Blocked Design -
Pseudo-replication in time (weekly) 3 seasons
27
Past Research gt Postdocs gt Penn State gt
Biofilters gt Experimental design
28
Past Research gt Postdocs gt Penn State gt
Biofilters gt Experimental design
  • Weekly NH3, N2O, CH4, CO2, water vapor

Temperature at 3 depths Data recorded and logged
hourly
Biofilter respiration levels, BOD assay Moisture
content of biofilter
29
Past Research gt Postdocs gt Penn State gt
Biofilters gt Methods
30
Past Research gt Postdocs gt Penn State gt
Biofilters gt Methods
Photoacoustic sensor / Flux Chamber Excel program
to extract relevant data continuous data
emissions Pedersen (2001) equation to derive gas
flux rates from gas build up rate
31
Past Research gt Postdocs gt Penn State gt
Biofilters gt Results
No significant effect of time, a significant
effect of treatment (p0.00) and a treatment x
time effect (p0.04)
32
Past Research gt Postdocs gt Penn State gt
Biofilters gt Results
NH3 emissions differed significantly due to
filler type, p 0.03 N2O, CH4, CO2, H2O filler
type had no significant effect
33
Past Research gt Postdocs gt Penn State gt
Biofilters gt Results
Only N2O (p0.02) and NH3 (p0.01) emission rates
were significantly affected by biofilter thickness
34
Past Research gt Postdocs gt Penn State gt
Biodigestion
  • Postdoc at Penn State University
  • Evaluating compost biofilters to mitigate ammonia
    and greenhouse gases
  • ASABE AIM proceedings, June 2007
  • Exploratory experiment on the effect of mixing on
    biogas yield in biodigesters
  • Progress in Biogas conference in Stuttgart,
    September 2007
  • Evaluating models for ammonia emissions from
    animal waste
  • In progress planned, Transactions of ASABE
  • Managed bio-processing lab
  • Co-developed wiki website online
  • Co-advisor in undergraduate thesis
  • Effect of biofilters on manure stack temperatures
  • Mentored in data collection, processing
  • Data analysis, organized writing

35
Past Research gt Postdocs gt Penn State gt
Biodigestion
  • Rationale for evaluating the effect of mixing on
    biodigesters
  • Less frequent mixing to prevent de-anchoring
    anaerobic bacteria (Aldrich, 1993)
  • Less operational costs
  • Mixing distribute microorganisms and heat,
    reduces particle size, help release biogas
  • Is it optimal at intermediate (Smith et al, 1996)
    or minimal levels (Stroot et al., 2001)
  • Does it have no effect (Karim et al., 2005)
  • A positive effect (model by Banister (1998))
  • A negative one (Stroot et al. (2001)

36
Past Research gt Postdocs gt Penn State gt
Biodigestion gt Methods
  • Experiment for evaluating the effect of mixing on
    biodigesters
  • 3 replicates mixed for 1, 2, 3 minutes / day, 17
    days, at 30oC
  • Stir bar, peripheral stirring plate, 1.04 m/s
    velocity
  • Pressure sensors measure gas build up
  • Gas composition (GC)
  • Stabilization volatile solids and BOD

37
Past Research gt Postdocs gt Penn State gt
Biodigestion gt Results
38
Past Research gt Postdocs gt Penn State gt
Biodigestion gt Results
Chaoui Richard. 2007. Effect of mixing
frequency on biogas yield in biodigesters.
International conference on progress in biogas.
September 19, 2007 in Stuttgart, Germany.
39
Past Research gt Postdocs gt Penn State
  • Postdoc at Penn State University
  • Evaluating compost biofilters to mitigate ammonia
    and greenhouse gases
  • ASABE AIM proceedings, June 2007
  • Exploratory experiment on the effect of mixing on
    biogas yield in biodigesters
  • Progress in Biogas conference in Stuttgart,
    September 2007
  • Evaluating models for ammonia emissions from
    animal waste
  • In progress planned, Transactions of ASABE
  • Managed bio-processing lab
  • Co-developed wiki website online
  • Co-advisor in undergraduate thesis
  • Effect of biofilters on manure stack temperatures
  • Mentored in data collection processing
  • Data analysis, organized writing

40
Past Research gt Postdocs gt Penn State gt
Evaluating ammonia emission models
  • Models predict ammonia speciation and
    volatilization
  • Estimating pollution form animal facilities
  • Rationale empirically evaluate models, verify
    missing inputs
  • Models for dissociation fraction of ammonia(l)
    from ammonium(l)
  • Elzing and Monteny, 1997, Hashimoto, 1972.
  • Henrys law predict ammonia(g) based on
    ammonia(l)
  • Henrys constant P(ammonia gas) / ammonia(l)
    ammonia(g) / ammonia(l)

41
Past Research gt Postdocs gt Penn State gt
Evaluating ammonia emission models
  • f x H ammonia(l) / ammonium(l) x ammonia(g)
    / ammonia(l)
  • ammonia(g) / ammonium(l)

Incubate samples at prescribed temperature for 1
hour, measure for 10 minutes
42
Past Research gt Postdocs gt Penn State gt
Evaluating ammonia emission models
  • Evaluating mass transfer models, with wind
    velocity as an input

43
Future Research
44
Future Research gt Develop technologically
advanced organic / sustainable farming
  • Background
  • Trained in precision ag
  • Teaching assistant for precision ag class
  • ArcGIS work as a graduate assistant, analyzing
    spatial data
  • Developing program to filter data from citrus
    yield monitor data logger
  • Literature review on Zigbee routers for wireless
    signals
  • Workshop on using sensors in the Zigbee system
  • Develop online networking tool (2005) for
    innovative technologyie on organic farming
  • Using background for future research
  • Draw on network to co-author proposal for
    wireless sensing / precision ag use in organic
    animal production
  • Develop online database for exchange of weeding
    robots protocols

45
Future Research gt Principles and ideas
  • Build on existing advances in precision ag and
    wireless sensing
  • Wireless animal guidance in free range pastures
  • Creativity
  • The best way to never have a good idea, is to
    never have a bad idea
  • Incremental innovations to transformative ideas
  • Sustainability ecological, social and economic
  • cost / benefit analysis ?creative design can
    reduce cost of technology
  • Teams
  • Research specialists, students, faculty, for
    diverse perspectives
  • Focus-groups to better select research
  • Communication
  • put results in accessible terms, stakeholder
  • combine producers with academic inputs (ASABE
    session)

46
Future Research gt Principles and ideas
  • Combine biological and agricultural engineering
  • Strong collaborations
  • Grow into that area
  • Training protein and enzymatic assays, SDS-Page
    method
  • Engineering design
  • Designing a system, not single process
  • vermicomposting system
  • Optimize a combination existing processes
  • co-processes
  • multi-waste streams
  • excel program for optimized feedstock
  • result complex but easy to operate system
  • Organization in experiments
  • Experimental design, hypothesis
  • Streamlining data collection and processing
  • Industry-like efficiency in labs
  • Enhances career of graduates, increases
    credibility of lab

47
Future Research gt Principles and ideas gt
designing systems
48
Vision of whats next free range fitted with
technology Tools waste bioprocessing techniques,
instrumentation, electrical engineering,
precision ag and programming
A free-range fitted with engineering designs to
process waste Goal - social acceptability, no
odor - pro-pig environment -
ecologically sound, lucrative - not at
the expense of increased labor
49
Vision of whats next free range fitted with
technology Tools waste bioprocessing techniques,
instrumentation, electrical engineering,
precision ag and programming
GPS or LPS receivers, RF modules and and Remote
controlled-locomotion will be used to input /
ouput locations
Control station computerized, feedback loops
based on wireless communication, prevents long
work hours
Wireless soil sensors indicate when soil reaches
its capacity in P nitrate
Mobile barn, guided by wireless input from
control station
Porous soil inoculated with earthworms processes
some of the pre-decomposed waste
Solar powered Feeder Ant - An autonomous mobile
unit feeding outdoor pigs (Jorgensen et al.
2007). Position output by control station
Automated mobile lids detect gaseous emissions
from, and cover waste. Theyre fitted with waste
degrading technologies, and powered by renewable
energy. They collect waste as well, into a
central waste processing station.
GPS and RF module - fitted pig collars.
50
Paradigm shift in animal husbandry
Article by L. Hamilton in The New Farm, Jan 2003
on organic dairy milk. A mobile milking parlor
follows the cows as they rotate in the pasture.
Organic Pastures Dairy Company, Fresno CA
Eggmobile, such as used in Perry Winkle Farms -
Debbie Roos, North Carolina Cooperative
extension, Chatham county
51
Future Research gt Funding Sources
  • Ideas on funding source, grant proposals
  • NRI and agstar at USDA
  • Industry
  • Co-authored grant proposal in PhD received 86
    approval rate
  • Patent and royalties
  • Cater to mainstream in RD, technologically
    advanced and convenient micro-gardens
  • Envisioned grant proposal design model for
    optimizing a multi process / multi waste stream
    bio-processing system

52
Future Research gt Graduate Students
  • Principles in guiding graduate students
  • Make room for creative thinking
  • Identify a problem, be inspired, envision a
    solution, test it using scientific method
  • Literature reviews and planning 80 of effort.
    Organized data collection and recording
  • Demystify statistical analysis and experimental
    design
  • Meticulous lab methods, not micro-manage
  • Streamline data processing, replace tedious tasks
    with programs (for data filtering), leaves time
    for intelligent work
  • Practical engineering skills. Autocad, machine
    shops. Design and print parts with a 3D printer

53
Future Research gt Future Vision
  • Paradigm shift in organic productions
  • from inert technologies, to dynamic ones on which
    we can download new protocols (like weed
    recognition for a machine vision system)
  • use of wireless sensors, feedback loops
  • becoming more socially, ecologically sound
  • more humane environment for animals, and less
    labor-dependent for plants and animal production
  • Increased efficiency of small scale - organic
    swine productions
  • modular technologies,
  • the UN FAO report Organic Agriculture and Food
    Security (2007) organic agriculture can address
    local and global food security challenges.

54
Conclusion
  • Goal
  • Transform organic plant and animal production
  • Integrate innovative technologies in existing
    systems
  • How I will work with others
  • Communicate with stakeholders
  • Collaborate with agricultural and biological
    engineers
  • Tools
  • Science engineering background
  • Easily take on new subjects

55
Thank You
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