Journal of Animal Science and Technology (JAST) is a peer-reviewed, open access journal publishing original research, review articles and notes in all fields of animal science. Topics covered by the journal include: genetics and breeding, physiology, nutrition of monogastric animals, nutrition of ruminants, animal products (milk, meat, eggs and their by-products) and their processing, grasslands and roughages, livestock environment, animal biotechnology, animal behavior and welfare.

The exposure of tomato fruits to unfavorable environments during the postharvest could result in severe losses along the supply chain. In this research, four tomato cultivars were stored in a controlled chamber under three levels of postharvest conditions to investigate the effects of delayed cooling on selected physicochemical quality parameters of the tomatoes. The tomato cultivars were subjected to three postharvest treatments: Immediate storage (IS) at harvest day; delayed storage (DS), leaving tomatoes without cover for one day; and under cover (DSC), separately in a greenhouse, and then stored in a controlled chamber at a temperature of 10 ± 1 °C and relative humidity of 90% ± 3%. Fresh weight, firmness, total soluble solids (TSS), and hue angle (h°) were examined over 15 days, every 5 days. Among the tomato cultivars, Cherry (7160), treated under DS showed the highest weight loss (13.01%) and firmness loss (42.14%) after 15 days of storage. Dabol (large) tomatoes treated with DS showed higher changes in TSS (°Bx) values (4.79 to 5.76). Low changes in hue angle values were found in IS-treated Cherry (7160) tomatoes at the end of the storage period. Overall quality changes were slower for all tomato cultivars treated with IS than with other treatments throughout the storage period. This study indicated the importance of reducing cooling delays to maintain the quality during the postharvest and prolong storage of harvested tomatoes.

Yield monitoring systems have become integral to precision agriculture, providing insights into the spatial variability of crop yield and playing an important role in modern harvesting technology. This paper aims to review current research trends in yield monitoring systems, specifically designed for non-grain crops, including cabbages, radishes, potatoes, and tomatoes. A systematic literature survey was conducted to evaluate the performance of various monitoring methods for non-grain crop yields. This study also assesses both mass-and volume-based yield monitoring systems to provide precise evaluations of agricultural productivity. Integrating load cell technology enables precise mass flow rate measurements and cumulative weighing, offering an accurate representation of crop yields, and the incorporation of image-based analysis enhances the overall system accuracy by facilitating volumetric flow rate calculations and refined volume estimations. Mass flow methods, including weighing, force impact, and radiometric approaches, have demonstrated impressive results, with some measurement error levels below 5%. Volume flow methods, including paddle wheel and optical methodologies, yielded error levels below 3%. Signal processing and correction measures also play a crucial role in achieving accurate yield estimations. Moreover, the selection of sensing approach, sensor layout, and mounting significantly influence the performance of monitoring systems for specific crops.

Aim of study: To determine the optimal working speed of a gear-driven rotary planting mechanism for a self-propelled riding-type onion transplanter in order to choose an adequate forward speed for effective onion (Allium cepa L.) seedling planting. Area of study: Daejeon, Korea. Material and methods: The gear-driven rotary planting mechanism was composed of six planting hoppers that received free-falling onion seedlings through the supply mechanism and deposited them into the soil. To determine the optimal working speed for accurate transplantation of the seedlings, mathematical working trajectory modelling of the planting mechanism, virtual simulations, and validation field experiments were carried out. Main results: According to the model simulation, a forward speed of 0.15 m s-1 of the transplanter and a rotating speed of 60 rpm of the planting mechanism were favourable for seedling uprightness and minimum mulch film damage. For the proposed transplanting mechanism, the free-falling distance was calculated as 0.08 m, and the accuracy for the seedling deposition into the hopper was demonstrated as 97.16% through the validation test. From the field tests, a forward speed of 0.15 m s-1 combined with a transplanting frequency of 60 seedlings min-1 was found to be optimum for obtaining a high seedling uprightness (90o), a low misplant rate (7.66%), a low damage area on mulch film, and low power consumption (36.53 W). Research highlights: The findings of this research might be helpful in improving the design of the onion transplanting mechanism and accelerating the automation process for seedling transplantation.

Maize harvesting is one of the most crucial field operations throughout maize cultivation. Despite the widespread adoption of mechanized maize harvesting globally, Bangladesh has not yet mechanized this stage, with the exception of the threshing process. To address this gap, this present study aimed to design and evaluate key components of a proposed single-row maize picker—specifically the picking rollers and the picking board—in a laboratory setting. Performance testing was conducted at a moisture content of 15.5% for maize kernels (wet basis) and maize plants with a moisture content of 80% (wet basis). Three types of inwardly rotating reversed picking rollers were tested: Type-1 (spiral-rib roller with a picking board), Type-2 (spiral rib with an extra pulling section), and Type-3 (straight fluted knife roller without a picking board). A 2.94 kW diesel engine was used for picking tests, and the tests were conducted at 450, 550, and 650 rpm. The tests used locally cultivated maize varieties Bijoy 71, 3355, and Power 55 and evaluated performance in terms of picking efficiency and ear blockage. The Type-1 roller achieved picking efficiencies of 0%, 60%, and 93.3% at 450, 550, and 650 rpm, respectively, with a picking board clearance of 24 mm and an edge angle of 14°. The Type-2 roller showed picking efficiencies of 0%, 53.3%, and 86.7%, while the Type-3 roller showed picking efficiencies of 73.3%, 93.3%, and 100% at the same speeds and with a roller clearance of 24 mm. Ear blockages were more frequent at lower speeds but decreased at higher speeds. These results provide important information for optimizing roller design and operational parameters, contributing to the development of an efficient and affordable maize picker suited to small-scale farming and local agro-climatic conditions in Bangladesh.