Data processing: measuring – calibrating – or testing – Measurement system in a specific environment – Earth science
Reexamination Certificate
1999-08-30
2002-08-27
Lefkowitz, Edward (Department: 2862)
Data processing: measuring, calibrating, or testing
Measurement system in a specific environment
Earth science
C250S226000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06442486
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
(1) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for determining the amount of fertilizer which, in producing grains such as rice grains or wheat grains, is applied at appropriate times, a method for estimating the quality and the yield of the rice and wheat as results of the fertilizer applied, and an apparatus for providing such production information.
(2) Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, the production control of grain crops such as rice grains and wheat grains has been so conducted that, the producers independently have collected information such as the leaf colors and heights of plants and the number of stems which serve as information for the control, have effected a nutritional diagnosis, and have effected the producers' own fertilizer application by relying on their intuition and experience.
However, the producers have effected the fertilizer application, not necessarily with the full understanding of the principle and methods which are used for producing targeted grains (for example, good taste in the case of rice and high protein in the case of wheat), but by following the conventional fertilizer application of the fields used in the production for many years, so that the chances when they could appreciate, by comparing with others, as to whether the method used is appropriate for the production of the grains are when they receive relevant information from agricultural advisors of Japanese Agricultural Association or consulting organizations.
On the other hand, although many quality and grade measuring apparatuses have been developed for the measurement of elements such as rice taste and protein of the grains after they are harvested, such information has never been systematically put together and effectively reflected to the cultivating control by the producers. Even if such information is made available, it has been difficult for individual producers to have such information reflected to the cultivating control with the understanding of and based on the relation between the information of the amounts and times of fertilizer application and the information on qualities and grades, so that the producers had no alternative but to rely on their intuition and experience. That is, there has been no means to interrelate the controlling technique which the individual producers possessed with respect to the cultivation of grains with the resulting information with respect to the qualities in a systematic way, and it has been difficult for the individual producers to control the cultivation based on any useful information and to obtain any positive information as to what cultivation control may be made for the targeted qualities and grades of grains.
Generally, the cultivation control is carried out based on the quality and grade as the ultimate goal, but sometimes the cultivation control is made for the ultimate goal of yields for grains such as long grain types and wheat grains. It is true that, also in this cultivation control ultimately aiming at a large yield, the producers rely on their intuition and experience.
In the cultivation control carried out based on the producers' intuition and experience, the aims are for the ideal qualities and grades, and a larger yield, but in this case the final assessment can be made only after the harvesting. That is, the qualities, grades and yields become definite only after the harvesting so that, in the case of buying and selling of, for example, the rice based on the rice taste, the assessment in the case of buying before the harvesting is indiscriminately based on the kinds, producers and localities, so that the assessment is not directly based on the actual rice taste and relies on the experience and intuition of buyers. Also, the producers had no means to show to the buyers any definite support with respect to the expected rice taste after the harvesting.
Also, in the aspect of yields, since the final yield does not become available until after the harvesting, and the buying before the harvesting and any plans for expenditure based thereon often use very rough figures, it is often necessitated to change such plans according to the amount of the actual yields after the harvesting. The producers had no means by which the reliable yield can be ensured.
As explained above, since no method and apparatus were available for providing information which interrelates and systematizes the cultivation control which has been relied on the producers' experience and the intuition based thereon and the qualities and grades of grains resulted therefrom, there was no means available for reliably ensuring the targeted qualities and grades or yields. Therefore, it has been desired to provide a method with which, in order to obtain the targeted qualities and grades or the targeted yields from the grain crops actually growing, it becomes known specifically what amount of fertilizer is to be applied next, or to develop an apparatus which can indicate such information with the apparatus being adapted to be used by anybody.
Also, about one month before the harvesting when the cultivation control has generally been completed, if information becomes available as to whether the qualities and grades are in accord with those targeted, or whether the yields can be obtained as targeted, the producers have means to guarantee the qualities and grades or to ensure the yields, and to ensure the earnings resulting therefrom. However, if the cultivation control solely relies as heretofore on the producers' experience and intuition, the estimation of the after-harvesting information is difficult, so that it is desired to develop a method which provides the reliable information to be indicated to those on the buying side or an apparatus which provides such information.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention, therefore, is to overcome the problems existing in the prior art, and to provide a method for determining the amount of fertilizer to be applied and an apparatus for providing production information with which the calculated results are displayed at its display section. According to one aspect, the invention enables the determination of the amount of fertilizer to be applied in growth stages of the grain crops. For this purpose, on one hand, a fertilizer application related formula for obtaining the amount of fertilizer to be applied at a specific stage is established by analyzing the relationship among growth information including leaf blade information related to the specific stage, quality information of produced grains, and fertilizer application information related to the specific stage, the formula being stored in a memory section. On the other hand, the amount of fertilizer to be applied at the specific stage to grain crops presently under growth is calculated from growth information including leaf blade information related to the specific stage, and targeted quality information obtained and input in an input section, and the amount of fertilizer to be applied is calculated at an arithmetic section by applying the above pieces of information to the fertilizer application related formula established in advance and by the analysis.
For producing grains of targeted quality, in order to make judgement as to what amounts of fertilizer are to be applied at specific stages such as a basal dressing stage, an additional manuring stage, an ear manuring stage, and a top dressing at ripening stage, a formula is established in advance in the following way. From the growth information including the leaf blade information (nitrogen content, color, chlorophyll content, etc. of a leaf) which is related to specific stages in the past growth records and which has brought growth results at specific stages, the fertilizer application information (amounts, times, etc. of the fertilizer applied), and the quality information (rice taste and grade in rice and protein content in wheat, etc.) of the grains produced under these conditions, the amounts of fertilizer to be applied ar
Hosaka Yukio
Maruyama Hideharu
Nakamura Nobuhiko
Satake Satoru
Fish & Richardson P.C.
Satake Corporation
Taylor Victor J.
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