Application of the wide-span implement carrier (WSIC) technology for the implementation of controlled-traffic farming in canadian agriculture

经济、能源、环境、健康和安全以及社会因素都需要考虑，以便在生产性农业中发展适应性和可持续的机械化系统。在发达国家和许多发展中国家，目前以拖拉机为基础的农业机械化系统已成为规范，但考虑到以下标准，对一些作物生产系统来说，这可能不是最佳或最可持续的解决方案：尽量减少对作物和土壤的负面影响，提高田间作业的及时性和作物产量，尽量提高农业作业的能源和田间效率，在过去的20年中，申请人已经开发了大跨度机具运输车（Wide-Span ImplementCarrier，WSIC）的概念，作为基于拖拉机的农业机械化系统的有前途的替代方案。 拟议的研究计划的总体和长期目标是确定基于WSIC的机械化系统的工程要求，以适应加拿大和国外的其他大田和园艺作物。本课题研究的具体目标是：1.为了确定基于WSIC的受控流量农场自动化的定位和引导要求，2。确定从基于拖拉机的农业转换到基于WSIC的农业时所需的农具修改; 3.为了确定不同的组件和相关的利益和成本的一个基于WSIC的农业系统为不同的领域和园艺作物。 加拿大农业每年产生超过400亿美元的收入，大田作物占总收入的近一半。它为全国近40万人提供就业机会。我国还拥有一个充满活力的农业机械行业，年总收入约为30亿美元。确定不同作物的WSIC系统的要求将直接有利于可持续的加拿大农业机械行业的发展，增长和多样化。

Economic, energy, environmental, health and safety, and social considerations need to be considered for the development of adapted and sustainable mechanization systems in production agriculture. The current tractor-based agricultural mechanization system that has become the norm in developed and many developing countries may not constitute the optimal nor the most sustainable solution for a number of crop production systems when considering criteria such as minimizing negative impacts on crops and soils, improving timeliness of field operations and resulting crop yields, maximizing energy and field efficiency of agricultural operations, minimizing health and safety risks, etc. Over the course of the past 20 years, the applicant has developed the concept of Wide-Span Implement Carrier (WSIC) as a promising alternative to tractor-based agricultural mechanization systems. The general and long-term objective of the proposed research program is to determine the engineering requirements for WSIC-based mechanization systems adapted to other field and horticultural crops in Canada and abroad. The specific objectives of the proposed research program are: 1. To determine the positioning and guidance requirements for automation of WSIC-based controlled traffic farming, 2. To identify the required modifications to agricultural implements when switching from tractor-based to WSIC farming, and 3. To identify the different components and associated benefits and costs of a WSIC-based farming system for different field and horticultural crops. Canadian agriculture generates more than $40B in revenues each year with field crops accounting for close to half of that total. It provides employment to nearly 400,000 people across the country. Our country also features a dynamic agricultural machinery industry with gross annual revenues of about $3B. The identification of the requirements of WSIC systems for different crops will directly benefit the development, growth, and diversification of a sustainable Canadian agricultural machinery industry.