39th LISBON International Conference on Research in Agricultural & Food Engineering: LRAFE-26

Call for Papers: LRAFE-26

All Abstracts, Reviews, short articles, Full articles, Posters are welcomed related with any of the following research fields:

1. Farm Machinery and Power Engineering

This area focuses on the design and operation of equipment used in the primary production of crops.

• Tractor Design and Ergonomics: Internal combustion engines, transmission systems, and operator safety/comfort.

• Tillage and Sowing Machinery: Plows, harrows, seed drills, and precision planters.

• Plant Protection Equipment: Sprayers, dusters, and nozzle technology for pesticide application.

• Harvesting and Threshing: Combine harvesters, root crop harvesters, and mechanical picking.

• Renewable Energy in Agriculture: Solar pumps, wind energy for irrigation, and biofuel-powered machinery.

2. Soil and Water Conservation Engineering

This sector manages the natural resources required for crop growth, focusing on hydrology and environmental protection.

• Irrigation Systems: Drip, sprinkler, and surface irrigation design and efficiency.

• Drainage Engineering: Surface and subsurface drainage to prevent waterlogging and salinity.

• Soil Erosion Control: Terracing, bunding, and check dam construction to prevent topsoil loss.

• Groundwater Hydrology: Well drilling, aquifer recharge, and water table management.

• Precision Water Management: Using sensors and IoT to optimize water use efficiency.

3. Agricultural Process Engineering (Post-Harvest Technology)

This serves as the link between the field and the food factory, focusing on the raw handling of harvested goods.

• Drying and Dehydration: Heat and mass transfer in grain, fruit, and vegetable drying.

• Size Reduction and Grading: Milling, grinding, and automated sorting/grading based on size or color.

• Storage Engineering: Design of silos, cold storage, and modified atmosphere storage (MAS).

• Material Handling: Conveyors, elevators, and pneumatic transport systems for bulk agricultural products.

4. Food Process Engineering

While related to the above, this focuses on the chemical and physical transformation of raw ingredients into consumer-ready food products.

• Thermal Processing: Pasteurization, sterilization, canning, and UHT (Ultra-High Temperature) treatment.

• Non-Thermal Processing: High-pressure processing (HPP), pulsed electric fields (PEF), and cold plasma.

• Food Rheology and Textural Properties: Studying the flow and deformation of food materials.

• Refrigeration and Freezing: Cryogenic freezing, freeze-drying (lyophilization), and cold chain logistics.

• Separation Processes: Membrane filtration (RO, UF, NF), centrifugation, and extraction.

5. Food Biotechnology and Safety

This topic intersects with microbiology and chemistry to ensure the nutritional value and safety of the food supply.

• Fermentation Technology: Production of enzymes, probiotics, and fermented beverages/foods.

• Food Chemistry: Analysis of lipids, proteins, carbohydrates, and micronutrients.

• Toxicology and Contaminants: Detection of mycotoxins, heavy metals, and pesticide residues.

• HACCP and Quality Control: Implementing Hazard Analysis Critical Control Points and ISO standards.

6. Dairy and Livestock Engineering

Specialized engineering applied to animal-based food production systems.

• Dairy Plant Engineering: Design of milk processing lines, evaporators, and spray dryers.

• Milking Machinery: Automated milking systems (AMS) and parlor design.

• Livestock Housing: Ventilation, waste management systems, and climate control for barns and poultry houses.

7. Structures and Environmental Control

Focuses on the controlled environments used for high-value crop production and storage.

• Greenhouse Technology: Hydroponics, aeroponics, and climate automation (CO2, light, and humidity).

• Rural Structures: Design of farmsteads, warehouses, and animal shelters using cost-effective materials.

• Waste Management: Anaerobic digestion (biogas plants) and composting technologies.

8. Emerging Interrelated Technologies

These modern topics touch almost every sub-field mentioned above.

• Precision Agriculture: Use of GPS, GIS, and Remote Sensing for variable rate application of inputs.

• Agricultural Robotics and AI: Autonomous tractors, weeding robots, and AI-driven yield prediction.

• Food Packaging Engineering: Biodegradable packaging, active packaging, and "smart" labels.

• Supply Chain Engineering: Traceability, blockchain in food systems, and logistics optimization.