Abstract
The fruit harvesting is a key factor involving both product quality and profitability. Particularly, mechanical harvesting of traditional oil olive orchards is hint by tree training system for manual harvesting, tree size and several and slanted trunks which makes difficult trunk shaker work. Therefore, canopy shaker technology could be a feasible alternative to develop an integral harvester able to work on irregular canopies. The aim of this research was to determine vibration parameters applied to the olive tree for efficient mechanical harvesting by canopy shaker measuring fruit removal efficiency and debris. In this work, a continuous lateral canopy shaker harvester has been developed and tested on large olive trees in order to analyse the operating harvester parameters and tree properties to improve mutual adaptation. Vibration amplitude and frequency, rod density and ground speed were assessed. Vibration amplitude and frequency beside ground speed were decisive factors on fruit removal efficiency. Increasing rod density has not influenced on removal efficiency although it increased significantly debris. Promising results has been reached with 77.3% of removal efficiency, applying a 28 s shaking duration, 0.17 m amplitude vibration and 12 rod drum. This result was obtained reporting 0.26 s of accumulative shaking time over 200 m/s2 resultant acceleration. The canopy shaker mechanism enabled more than 65% of detached fruits to fall vertically, facilitating catch fruit. In order to improve removal efficiency it is advisable to adapt trees, set high amplitude in the shaker mechanism, and enhance the contact time between rods and tree.
Highlights
New orchard designs are replacing traditional plantations in a number of crops that are typically rainfed, such as almond [Prunus dulcis (Mill.) DA Webb], pistachio (Pistacia vera L.) and olive (Olea europaea L.), in order to reduce associated production costs
Modifying rod density did not lead to any increase in fruit removal efficiency values relative to those values produced with the reference configuration
Harvesting systems such as trunk shakers operate in high frequency ranges with low displacements, and with vibration applied to the trunks (Torregrosa et al, 2010), whereas canopy shakers operate with lower frequency and produce greater displacement, with the vibration applied directly to the fruit-bearing branches (SolaGuirado et al, 2014)
Summary
New orchard designs are replacing traditional plantations in a number of crops that are typically rainfed, such as almond [Prunus dulcis (Mill.) DA Webb], pistachio (Pistacia vera L.) and olive (Olea europaea L.), in order to reduce associated production costs. Traditional plantations are widespread globally and play an important social and environmental role, which makes it difficult or unfeasible to substantially change these plantations or even eliminate them entirely. Notable in this respect is olive cultivation in the Mediterranean basin, where 97% of world production is concentrated. In Spain, which is home to more than 50% of world olive oil production (AICA, 2014), there are 2,420,000 ha of olive crop, and traditional plantations
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