This paper considers the evolution of processes applied in agriculture for field operations developed from non-organized handmade activities into very specialized and organized production processes. A set of new approaches based on the application of metaheuristic optimization methods and smart automatization known as Agriculture 4.0 has enabled a rapid increase in in-field operations’ productivity and offered unprecedented economic benefits. The aim of this paper is to review modern approaches to agriculture machinery movement optimization with applications in sugarcane production. Approaches based on algorithms for the division of spatial configuration, route planning or path planning, as well as approaches using cost parameters, e.g., energy, fuel and time consumption, are presented. The combination of algorithmic and economic methodologies including evaluation of the savings and investments and their cost/benefit relation is discussed.

Digestate is commonly used as a liquid organic fertilizer, as it contains nutrients that are important for plant growth and thus help reduce usage of mineral fertilizers. Since the digestate application leads to the release of greenhouse gases (GHGs) into the atmosphere, it is necessary to find a suitable application method and fertilizer rate with minimal gas emissions while providing sufficient nutrients to crops. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between selected GHGs and ammonia (NH₃) release into the atmosphere and different rates of digestate applied, i.e., 0, 10, 20, 30, and 40 m³ ha⁻¹. Two digestate incorporation methods were used, i.e., a disc application unit (D) and strip-till (S). The fluxes, i.e., methane (CH₄), ammonia, and carbon dioxide (CO₂), were monitored using the wind tunnel method. Crop growth and potential nutrient utilization by silage maize were assessed through stand condition monitoring by the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and the Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI) using remote sensing. Under the given conditions, the digestate rates and the compared application methods had significant effects on the level of fluxes. The rate of digestate was confirmed to affect the yield of silage maize. The yield increased by more than 8% when using the disc applicator. Based on our results, it is advisable to apply digestate by strip-till technology at rates of approximately 20 m³ ha⁻¹.

Determination of ammonia (NH₃) emissions for intensive livestock facilities (pork, poultry) is important from both a regulatory and a research point of view. Buildings housing livestock are a large source of ammonia emissions from the agriculture sector. However, measurements to determine emissions can be time-consuming and costly. Therefore, it is essential to find a suitable methodology for monitoring NH₃. The methodology for determining NH₃ emissions is legislatively unified in terms of sampling methodology, including sampling time (24 h), sampling points (input/output), number of sampling days, and their distribution during the year, and to determine only a general calculation of the annual average NH₃ emissions. For this reason, the researchers chose different approaches for the calculation of NH₃ emissions, and these approaches are not unified. Based on accurate monitoring and created models, the authors proposed a methodology for calculation of NH₃ emissions, which divides the 24 h measurement into time windows (30 min), from which the arithmetic mean and standard deviation are determined, and the total emissions for one year is determined. The chosen time windows for the partial calculation are important from the point of view of reflecting the microclimatic conditions inside the stable and the device limits for sampling the NH₃ concentration and airflow.