Production and Management Department

Areas of Duty:

- The department produces original class seeds (foundation=basic seed) of field crop varieties released by CRIFC (Central Research Institute for Field Crops) and other seed production companies as per agreement. There are trials and seed production fields in the research substation (İkizce Research and Demonstration Farm of CRIFC) in Gölbaşı town, 45 km away from the center of Ankara province.

- The dept produces grain crops in the fields around Esenboğa Airport (350 ha). The department uses half of this area for cereal production every year.

- Some fields in Atatürk Forest Farm are planted for trials of irrigated cereals by the researchers (11 ha). The dept provides logistic support to these researchers.

- The dept also gives logistic support to conduct experiments, breeding programmes and for researches at the Research and Practice Farm of Ankara University’s Agricultural Faculty (25 ha).

Activities of the Department:

- Production of original seed varieties registered by the Institute is performed in accordance with the directives of Seed Certification Standards and Marketing Regulations.

   During certificated seed production, all procedures and activities (seed-bed preparation, sowing/planting, irrigation, fertilization, crop protection, seed fields cleaning, harvesting, seed purification-sieving, packaging and transporting to the contracting institutions and firms) are realized using modern technologies and techniques. Seed purification and sieving system were modernized by mounting, automatic optical sorter in 2011 and indent cylinder separators in 2013. (Sortex Z+; A combination of the most advanced cameras and shape recognition identifies the widest range of foreign material, extraneous matter, smaller spot defects, finer product damage and subtler colours) Thus, it is possible to produce clean and quality seed.

   Besides, the department has to pass the inspections and conditions for certification (verification of seed sources, field controls to verify conformity to the prescribed field standards, seed sampling and analysis etc.).

- The dept gives support to the other departments for agricultural activities such as field preparation (tilling, preparation of the seedbed), labor, soil management (stone removal, leveling and drainage), irrigation and treatment with agricultural chemicals. The department keeps up with new developments and techniques in agricultural sector. The machinery and tools (equipments) park has been modernized. Most of the tractors and other agricultural machineries are equipped with wireless communication systems.

- The dept has the responsibility of sending daily meteorological data provided by AWOS (Automatic Weather Observation System) to office workers. This system presents meteorological information for selected parameters supplied by meteorological station in the farm.

Plant Groups of Produced Certified Seeds:

- Cool Season Cereals (wheat and barley)

- Food Grain Legumes (lentils, chickpea and beans)

- Forage/Fodder Crops (annuals)

Ongoing Activities:

New frequency converter irrigation system has been under construction in the farm. With the help of this new system, almost all plots of the substation can be watered from the small irrigation dam; after setting aside in pools and pumped to the fields through subsoil pipelines. (The irrigation system contains a frequency converter and three pumps. The speed of one pump motor is controlled by an AC drive, which also switches on the fixed-speed pumps as required. Another fixed-speed pump is started and the speed of the frequency converter driven pump is correspondingly reduced when the pressure in the pipeline falls below a preset limit. Conversely, the pumps are stopped sequentially when the pressure exceeds an upper limit.) The new system will be completed in 2014.

Advantages of the System:

- Lower labor expenses through automatic control

- Reduced energy consumption through optimum flow control

- Lower maintenance expenses as pressure shocks are eliminated

- Even water distribution due to accurate flow control

YUKARI