Comparative assessment of alternate agricultural mechanization systems

拟议研究计划的总体目标是开发和实施替代农业机械化系统(AMS)比较评估的框架和方法。这项研究将集中于三大类AMS：1.基于拖拉机的系统；2.适应于交通管制农业系统的大跨度机具运输系统和其他AMS；以及3.依赖于自动驾驶车队的系统。还将考虑每一类中更具体的AMS(例如，适应交通管制要求的拖拉机系统)。考虑到北美农业的一些典型作物生产系统(例如，乳制品、水果和蔬菜、谷物和油籽、混合)，拟议的5年研究计划的具体目标如下：1.确定用于评估AMS的具体标准或标准集；2.评估这些标准对不同农业生产系统的相对重要性；3.表征适应这些作物生产系统的AMS；以及4.评估不同类型AMS在每个或这些标准集方面的表现。拟议的研究计划分为三个相互依存的阶段，将产生两个硕士论文和一个博士论文。将参与这项工作的本科生和研究生将在评估和评估替代农业机械化系统方面获得独特的专门知识。这些人将为加拿大和全球农机行业的未来发展和多元化提供重要支持。向农业和农业机械工业提供21世纪农业所需的知识和技术，将直接有助于它们的可持续发展和增长。

The general objective of the proposed research program is to develop and implement a framework and a methodology for the comparative assessment of alternate agricultural mechanization systems (AMS). The study will focus on three main categories of AMS: 1. Tractor-based systems, 2. Wide-span implement carrier systems and other AMS adapted to controlled-traffic farming systems, and 3. Systems that rely on fleets of autonomous vehicles. More specific AMS within each category (e.g., tractor-based system adapted to controlled-traffic requirements) will also be considered. Taking into account a number of crop production systems typical of North American agriculture (e.g., dairy, fruits and vegetables, grain and oilseed, mixed), the specific objectives of the proposed 5-year research program are as follows: 1. To identify specific criteria or sets of criteria for the evaluation of AMS; 2. To assess the relative importance of those criteria for different agricultural production systems; 3. To characterize AMS adapted to these crop production systems, and 4. To assess the performance of the different types of AMS in regards to each of these criteria or sets of criteria. The proposed research program is divided into three interdependent phases that will result into two Master's and one doctoral theses. The undergraduate and graduate students who will be involved in that work will acquire a unique expertise in the evaluation and assessment of alternate agricultural mechanization systems. These individuals will provide an important support for the future development and diversification of the Canadian and global agricultural machinery industry. Providing both the agriculture and agricultural machinery industries with the knowledge and the technologies that twenty-first century agriculture requires will directly contribute to their sustainable development and growth.