AGRI.

ENGINEERING
DEFINITIONS AND SHORT QUESTION

Agricultural engineering is the engineering discipline that applies engineering science and technology
to agricultural production and processing. Agricultural engineering combines the disciplines
of mechanical, civil, electrical and chemical engineering principles with a knowledge of agricultural
principles.

Q No. 1: What is Tractor?

Tractor is a device which develops traction for the purpose of pulling leads / implements. Traction is
developed under rear wheels when powered by an engine.
Q No. 2: What do you mean by farm mechanization?.
It is the process of using agricultural machinery to mechanize the
work of agriculture, massively increasing farm output and farm
worker productivity.
Or
Replacement of human and animal power with the machines to
perform agricultural activities for higher output is called farm
mechanization.
Q No. 3: What do you meant by tractorization?.
Increasing in number of tractors only rather other agricultural
machines in the process of farm mechanization is known as
tractorization. Like in Pakistan, we are following tractorization
except of farm mechanization. Currently, total number of tractors in
the country is approximately 500000 (0.5 million).
Q No. 4: What are the major tractor companies in Pakistan?
Massy Ferguson (Millat Tractors Ltd.)
Case New Holland (Al-Ghazi Tractors Ltd.)
FORD tractors
Q No. 5: What are the available models of tractors and their hp?

Millat Tractors Ltd Al – Ghazi Tractors Ltd

Tractor Horse Power Tractor Horse Power
Model (hp) Model (hp)
FM-240 50 NH-480S 55
FM-260 60 Ghazi 65
FM-250 55 NH-640N 75
FM-265 65 NH-640S 85
FM-375 75 NH-55-56 55
FM-385 85 NH-60-56 65

Q No. 6: Define Engine.

It is a mechanical device, which converts the chemicals energy of fuel into mechanical energy.
Q No. 7: Describe engine terminologies.
Bore
The diameter of the engine cylinder is called bore.
Piston
A cylindrical plug that moves to and fro in the cylinder under the pressure of combustion gases and
transmit power to the crankshaft through the connecting rod.
Top dead center
The top most pat of cylinder up to which piston can travel.
Bottom dead center
The lower most part of the cylinder up to which a piston can travel.

302
Basics of Agriculture
Stroke
The movement of piston from top dead center to bottom dead center or from BDC to TDC is called
one stroke.
Compression ratio (CR).
It is the volume of air when the piston is at bottom dead centre divide by the volume of air when the
piston is at, top dead centre.
Clearance volume (CV).
The volume of the cylinder when piston is at its top dead center is
called clearance volume.
Q No. 8: What do you meant by a four stroke engine and a two stroke engne?
2- stroke cycle engine
When the process of power generation is being completed in two strokes of piston or with
one revolution of crankshaft is require to complete an engine working cycle, is called 2 –
stroke cycle engine.
4 – stroke engine
When the process of power generation is being completed in four strokes of piston or within
the two revolution of crankshaft, is called 4 – stroke cycle engine.
Q No. 9: What is fuel?
Fuel is any material that stores energy that can later be extracted to
perform mechanical work in a controlled manner.
Q No. 10: Define the calorific value of the fuel.
The amount of heat produced during the combination of unit volume of fuel is known as calorific
value of that fuel.
Q No. 11: Define farm machinery.
Agricultural machinery is machinery used in the operation of an
agricultural area or farm.
Q No. 12: What are classification of farm/agricultural machines?.
1. Manually-operated equipment
2. Animal-powered equipment
3. Machine-powered equipment
4. Land preparation machinery and equipment
5. Planting machinery machinery and equipment
6. Crop maintenance machinery and equipment
7. Crop harvesting machinery and equipment
8. Post-harvest machinery and Equipment
9. Livestock machinery and equipment
Q No. 13: What are the primary and secondary tillage implements?
Primary tillage refers to tillage after harvesting or on virgin piece of land where soil is inverted and
plant residues and sometimes manure/ fertilizer is added. e.g. Disk plough, sub soiler,chisel plough,
Mold blow plough.
On the other hand, secondary tillage is done after primary tillage and it involves breaking the soil
particles into smaller pieces and sometimes includes formation of rows for planting. e.g. Disk
harrow, cultivator.
Q No. 14: What are the intake and exhaust valves?
Intake valve
Such valve, which admits air or mixture into the combustion chamber.
Exhaust valve
Such valve, which permits, burned gases to escape.
Q No. 15: What are water jackets?
These are the zig zag drilled holes in the cylinder block as well as in the cylinder head to remove
excess heat.
Q No. 16: What is meant by term Firing order (F.O)?
The sequence, through which power strokes take place in multi cylinder engines is called firing
order.
Q No. 17: What is Carborator?

303
Basics of Agriculture
 It is device of petrol fuel system, which breaks down the petrol into tiny particles and then mixes it
with air.
Q No. 18: What is Clutch?
Te clutch is a device in tractor (also in all vehicle) used to connect or disconnect the source of power
to the rest for the transmission system.
Q No. 19: What is Gearbox?
The set of gears which is to increase or decrease the revolution coming from engine to the revolution
(speed) at which it is required to drive the tractors wheals.
Q No. 20: What is Differential?
The power from the engine is transmitted in a straight line from the engine crankshaft through that
gearbox. However the tractor wheel axle is a right angle to the crankshaft. So power must also be
transmitted at right angles. So to differentiate the power to both the wheels, a differential box is used.
Turning of a vehicle is possible only by this system.
Q No. 21: Define Horse power (HP) ?
Answer: Power is the rate at which work is done. The rate at which the engine can do work is
measured in horsepower.
One horsepower: 4500 kg-m/min.
One horsepower: 0.746 KW
Q No. 22: What is the power-Take-off horsepower.
The power, which is delivered by the tractor through its PTO shaft.
Q No. 23: What is Zero tillage?
No-till farming (also called zero tillage or direct planting or pasture cropping) is a way of
growing crops from year to year without disturbing the soil through tillage
Q No. 24: What is thresher?
Threshing machine (or thresher), a device that first separates the head of a stalk of grain from the
straw, and then further separates the kernel from the rest of the head.
Q No. 25: What is combine harvester?
The combine harvester, or simply combine, is a machine that harvests grain crops. The name derives
from the fact that it combines three separate operations, reaping, threshing, and winnowing, into a
single process.
Q No. 26: What is draft power of an implement?
The power provided by some power source (tractor) which is required by an implement for its
designed working. Different implement have different draft according to their nature of job and
weight.
Q No. 27: Which are the major sources of farm power?
The different sources of power available on the farm for doing
various mobile and stationary operations areas under:
Mobile Power
1. Human (men, women, children)
2. Draught animals (bullocks, buffaloes, camels, horses and ponies,
mules and donkeys)
3. Tractors
4. Power tillers
5. Self propelled machine (combine s, reapers, sprayers etc.)
Stationary Power
1. Diesel/oil engines (for pump sets, threshers, sprayers and other
stationary operations)
2. Electric motors (for pump sets, threshers, sprayers and other
stationary operations
Q No. 28: What is a seed drill ?
A seed drill is a sowing device that precisely positions seeds in the soil, maintains row to row
distance and then covers them. Drill does not maintain seed to seed distance.
Q No. 29: What is a planter ?
A planter is a sowing device that precisely positions seeds at equal distance in the soil, maintains row
to row distance and then covers them.

304
Basics of Agriculture
Q No. 30: What is field capacity of a farm machine?
The field capacity of a farm machine is the rate at which it performs its primary function, i.e., the
number of acres that can be cultivated per hour (acre/hr) or the number of tons of wheat grains that
can be threshed per hour (ton/hr).
Q No. 31: What is Renewable energy ?
Renewable energy is energy which comes from natural resources such as sunlight, wind, rain,
tides, and geothermal heat, which are renewable (naturally replenished).
Q No. 32: What is Non Renewable energy?
Non renewable energy is that form of energy which is subject to deletion. These non-
renewable energies like coal, oil and gas are getting scarce. Energy sources like oil, coal and gas are
known as fossil fuels.
Q No. 33: What is Conservation tillage?
Conservation tillage is a tillage system that creates a suitable soil environment for growing a crop
and that conserves soil, water and energy resources mainly through the reduction in the intensity of
tillage, and retention of plant residues.
Q No. 34: Define energy conservation.
Energy conservation refers to efforts made to reduce energy consumption. Energy conservation can
be achieved through increased efficient energy use, in conjunction with decreased energy
consumption.
Q No. 35: What are post harvest losses?.
The post harvest sector includes all points in the value chain from production in the field to the food
being placed on a plate for consumption. Post harvest activities include: Harvesting,
handling, storage, processing, packaging, transportation and marketing.
Q No. 36: What does AMRI stand for?.
Agricultural machinery research institute
Q No. 37: What are the common equipments/machines are being used for different farm activities in
Pakistan ?.

Soil Planting Fertilizing & Harvest &

conservation Pest control Post harvest
Cultivator Broadcast Fertilizer Beet harvester
seeder spreader,
Chisel plow Planter (farm Liquid Cane harvester
implement) manure/slurry
spreader
Harrow Potato planter Manure spreader Combine
harvester
Spading Seed drill Sprayer Cotton picker
machine
Subsoiler Precision drill Forage harvester
Rotavator Transplanter Potato
spinner/digger
Ridger Rice huller
Roller Grain cleaner

Q No. 38: Define the farm waste.

Farm/Agricultural waste is waste produced as a result of various
agricultural operations.
Q No. 39: What is organic farming?
Organic farming is the form of agriculture that relies on techniques such as crop rotation, green
manure, compost and biological pest control to maintain soil productivity and control pests on
a farm.
Q No. 40: What is Agricultural pollution ?
Agricultural pollution comprises wastes, emissions, and discharges
arising from farming activities. This includes runoff and leaching
of pesticides and fertilizers; pesticide drift and volatilization;
erosion and dust from cultivation; and improper disposal of animal

305
Basics of Agriculture
 manure and carcasses.
Q No. 41: Define surveying?
Fertilizer is any organic or inorganic material of natural or synthetic origin (other than liming
materials) that is added to a soil to supply one or more plant nutrients essential to the growth of
plants.
Q No. 42: What is the mean NPK.
NPK means Nitrogen Phosphorus and Potassium.
Q No. 43: Define surveying?
Surveying is the art of making such measurements as will determine the relative positions of points
on the surface of the earth in order that the shape and extent of any portion of earth’s surface may be
ascertained and delineated on a map or plan. OR
It is essentially a process of determining position of points in a horizontal plan.

Q No. 44: What is the Theodolite?

The Theodolite is the most intricate and accurate instrument used for measurement of horizontal and
vertical angle.
Q No. 45: Describe the plain table survey.
Plan Table surveying is a graphical method of surveying is which the field works and plotting are
done simultaneously.
Q No. 46: When do you recommend the plane tabling?
It is particularly recommended for small scale or medium scale mapping in which great accuracy in
detail in not required as for topographical surveys.
Q No. 47: What is meant of benchmark?
A branch mark is a fixed reference point of known elevation.
Q No. 48: What is meant of back sight?.
A staff rod reading taken on a point of known elevation.
Q No. 49: What is meant of the height instrument?
The height of instrument is the elevation of the plane of collimation when the instrument is correctly
leveled.
Q No. 50: How many systems are used to find out the reduced levels?
Two systems are working to find out the reduced level of point from the staff rod reading taken in
the field.
a) The collimation system b) The rise and fall system.
Q No. 51: What is the meant by contour ?
Contour may be defined as the line of intersection of level surface as the line of intersection of a
level surface with the surface of ground.
Q No. 52: What is the farm structure?
A structure that has a roof and walls and stands more or less permanently in one place.
Q No. 51: What is Farm management?
Farm management is the collective term for various management strategies and methods that are
employed to keep a farm productive and profitable.
Q No. 52: What is Irrigation?
Irrigation may be defined as the science of artificial application of water to the land or soil. It is used
to assist in the growing of agricultural crops.
Q No. 53: What are the sources of irrigation?
Surface water, ground water, rain water, and glacier.
Q No. 54: What is Indus basin irrigation system?
The Indus Basin Irrigation System comprises of three major
reservoirs, 16 barrages, 2 head-works, 2 siphons across major
rivers, 12 inter river link canals, 44 canal systems (23 in Punjab,
14 in Sindh, 5 in NWFP and 2 in Balochistan) and more than
107,000 water courses. The aggregate length of the canals is about
56,073 Km. In addition, the watercourses, farm channels and
field ditches cover another 1.6 million Km
Q No. 55: Define Dam.

306
Basics of Agriculture
 A dam is a barrier that impounds water or underground
streams. Dams generally serve the primary purpose of retaining
water,
Q No. 56: How many number of Dams in Punjab Province?
Akhori Dam (planned)
Dhrabi Dam
Dohngi Dam
Ghabir Dam (under construction)
Kalabagh Dam (planned)
Khai Dam
chiniot dam {planned}
Q No. 57: Define Barrage
A type of dam which consists of a line of large gates that can be
opened or closed to control the amount of water passing the dam. Or
It is a hydraulic structure which not only used for the distribution of water but as well as used for
some storage of water.
Q No. 58: Enlist Barrages in Pakistan.
Rasul Barrage, Punjab
Tonsa Barrage , Punjab
Chashma Barrage, Punjab
Panjnad Barrage, Punjab
Guddu Barrage, Sindh
Shukkur Barrage, Sindh
Kotri Barrage, Sindh
Q No. 59: Define Head works
It is hydraulic structure which only used for the distribution of water.
Q No. 60: Define retaining wall.
A retaining wall is a structure desired to sustain the lateral pressure of earth and other material.
Q No. 61: Define irrigation canal.
A permanent irrigation conduit constructed to convey water from the source of supply to one or more
farms.
Q No. 62: Define water course.
A watercourse is any flowing body of water. These include rivers,
streams, anabranches, and so forth.
Q No. 63: What are the total annual water resources of Pakistan?.
Total anaual resources in Pakistan are as, Ground 50 MAF surface
144 MAF Rain fall 13-14maf
Q No. 64: What are the kinds of flow?.
Flow is classified into open channel flow and closed conduit flow. Open channel flow conditions
occur whenever the flowing stream has a free or unconstrained surface that is open to the
atmosphere.
In hydraulics, a pipe is any closed conduit that carries water under pressure.
Q No. 65: What are the common water measuring devices?.
(1) Weirs
(2) Flumes
(3) Orifices
(4) Venturi meters
(5) Runup measurement on a flat "weir stick"
Q No. 66: What are the flow totalization?.
Water is sold and measured in terms of total volume consumed; say cubic feet, over some convenient
time period, perhaps for billing each month. Many flow meters have built in capability to sum or
totalize volume continually. Thus, the volume consumed is obtained by taking the difference of two
sequential monthly readings. This is known as flow totalization.
Q No. 67: What are the flow totalization?.
Hydraulic radius, Rh, is defined as the area of the flow section divided by the wetted perimeter, Pw,

307
Basics of Agriculture
Q No. 68: Define wetted perimeter?.
The wetted perimeter is the perimeter of the cross sectional area that is "wet."
Q No. 69: Define weir?
A measuring weir is simply an overflow structure built perpendicular to an open channel axis to
measure the rate of flow of water.
Q No. 70: Define orifice?
An orifice is any opening, mouth, hole or vent, as of a pipe, plate, or a body.
Q No. 71: Define flume?
A flume is an open artificial water channel, in the form of a gravity chute, that leads water from a
diversion dam or weir completely aside a natural flow.

Cut throat flume

Partial flume
Q No. 73: What is flow meter?.
A flow meter is an instrument used to measure linear, nonlinear, mass or volumetric flow rate of a
liquid or a gas.
Q No. 74: What is current meter?.
The current meter is a self-contained current measuring sensor designed to measure the true
magnitude and direction of horizontal current motion in any water environment.
Q No. 75: What is discharge?.
Discharge is the volume rate of water flow which is transported through a given cross-sectional area.
Q No. 76: What is micro irrigation?.
It is an irrigation method which saves water and fertilizer by allowing water to drip slowly to
the roots of plants, either onto the soil surface or directly onto the root zone, through a network of
valves, pipes, tubing, and emitters.
Q No. 77: What is irrigation scheduling?.
Irrigation scheduling is the process used by irrigation system managers to determine the correct
frequency and duration of watering
Q No. 78: Define permanent wilting point?.
Permanent wilting point (PWP) or wilting point (WP) is defined as the minimal point of soil
moisture the plant requires not to wilt. If moisture decreases to this or any lower point a plant wilts
and can no longer recover its turgidity when placed in a saturated atmosphere for 12 hours.
Q No. 79: What is field capacity?.
Field capacity is the amount of soil moisture or water content held in soil after excess water has
drained away and the rate of downward movement has materially decreased, which usually takes
place within 2–3 days after a rain or irrigation in pervious soils of uniform structure and texture.
Q No. 80: Define pump?
A pump is a device used to move fluids, such as liquids, gases or slurries.
Q No. 81: Define drainage?
Drainage is the natural or artificial removal of surface and sub-surface water from an area. Many
agricultural soils need drainage to improve production or to manage water supplies.
Q No. 82: what are the major rivers and their distributaries?
1. Indus — Tarbela dam, Warsak dam (on the Kabul river near theIndus), Kalabagh barrage (also
named as Jinnah barrage) atKalabagh, Chashma reservoir, Tausa barrage, Gudu barrage,
Sukkurbarrage, Kotri barrage.
2. Jhelum — Mangla dam, Rasul barrage, Punjnad headworks.
3. Chenab — Marala headworks, Khanki headworks, Qadirabadbarrage.
4. Ravi — Balloki barrage, Sidnai barrage.
5. Sutlej — Sulemanki barrage, Islam barrage
Q No. 83: What are the units of measuring meter?.
Acre-inch (ac-in.): An acre-inch is the volume of water required to cover an acre of land with one
inch of water. One acre-inch equals about 3,630 cubic feet or 27,154 gallons.

Acre-foot (ac-ft): An acre-foot is the volume of water required to cover an acre of land with 1 foot
of water. One acre-foot equals about 43,560 cubic feet, 325,848 gallons or 12 acre-inches.

308
Basics of Agriculture
 Cubic feet per second (cfs): One cubic foot per second is equivalent to a stream of water in a ditch
1- foot wide and 1-foot deep flowing at a velocity of 1 foot per second. It is also equal to 450
gallons per minute, or 40 miner’s-inches.

Gallons per minute (gpm): Gallons per minute is a measurement of the amount of water being
pumped, or flowing within a ditch or coming out of a pipeline in one minute.
Q No. 84: Define water table?.
The water table is the surface where the water pressure head is equal to the atmospheric
pressure (where gauge pressure = 0).
Q No. 85: Define dry well?.
A dry well is an underground structure that disposes of unwanted water, most commonly storm
water runoff, by dissipating it into the ground, where it merges with the local groundwater.

309
Basics of Agriculture