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Table olive harvesting is highly dependent on manual labour and may jeopardize the crop benefit. The introduction of a mechanical harvest system requires a global evaluation of the whole process. A trunk shaker along with shaker combs and a continuous canopy shaker harvester have been tested in two orchards with different tree training and layout to determine their feasibility to mechanical harvesting in table olives. For that purpose, several parameters have been evaluated. Canopy shaker required adapted orchard layout and hedge of canopies for reaching an acceptable harvesting efficiency about 80% and trunk shaker performed a higher efficiency of more than 95% but depended highly on labour. Both systems had a high field capacity about 0.15 ha h-1 but low for the trunk shaker considering the people (0.01 ha h1 person-1). The vibration pattern that applied on branches was totally different although the quantitative tree damages were no significative different. There were no significant differences in fruit bruising between both systems, but there were between the different sampling points, mainly in the detachment. The fruit bruising index of the remaining fruit on canopy suggests that it is possible to perform a second harvest. Both mechanical systems are suitable for table olive harvesting whilst improving the efficiency of manual systems with bearable damages, but each one has pros and cons that must be considered bearing in mind that require an adaptation of the orchard where there are applied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mechanical harvesting of juice oranges can be achieved by the application of forced vibration to the tree canopy to detach fruit. Among the available harvesting technologies, canopy shaker systems have the advantage of working without stoppages between trees, with rods that penetrate the tree canopy generating low-frequency, high-amplitude movement. The objective of this work is to analyse the fruit detachment process to improve the design and management of canopy shaker systems, reducing the risk of damage to tree and fruit during the mechanical harvesting process. Three different canopy shaker systems were used to remove oranges in a well-adapted intensive orchard during the harvesting period. The fruit detachment process was recorded with a triaxial accelerometer sensor with a datalogger inserted into each tested fruit. Fruit movement displayed a similar frequency value as harvester rods (4.1–4.9 Hz), while the resultant acceleration depended on the interaction of the tree-machine system (38.8–60.4 m s −2 ). The fruit detachment event occurrence required a vibration time ranging between 1.45 and 5.75 s, which can limit the machine's maximum speed. After the detachment event, fruit presented a short mean time (0.28 s) with no contact with other fruit, branch or machine. The vibration of fruit during the harvesting process was greater, in terms of maximum acceleration, after the detachment event (527.6 m s −2 ) than before (401.0 m s −2 ). The use of a catch frame to collect fruit and of padding material in the machinery are fundamental measures to reduce the damage caused to fruit with canopy shaker technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The harvesting process of the olive tree is mainly performed by manual means, because traditional olive orchards (the main planting typology) are formed of irregular, large-canopy trees that are very difficult to harvest mechanically. For that reason, the cost of harvesting is very high, and it threatens the future of these plantations whose conversion to other more modern layouts is not always possible due to several limitations. The introduction of a harvester may represent the technological change that is the key factor for improved competitiveness. The main purpose of this work was to develop a harvester based on canopy shaker technology for work on irregular, large trees in a circular path. The design of the harvester was based on a determination of tree geometry, together with tree training. Field tests were used to determine machine-tree interaction, and to evaluate the removal, catch frame and driven systems. The proposed innovation allowed the fully mechanical harvest of previously planted trees with a removal efficiency of over 84%, achieving an effective field capacity of 0.21 hm²/h. Although the results so far have been promising, further improvements are advisable in machine and tree adaptation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Olive has a notable importance in countries of Mediterranean basin and its profitability depends on several factors such as actual yield, production cost or product price. Actual "on year" Yield (AY) is production (kg tree-1) in "on years", and this research attempts to relate it with geometrical parameters of the tree canopy. Regression equation to forecast AY based on manual canopy volume was determined based on data acquired from different orchard categories and cultivars during different harvesting seasons in southern Spain. Orthoimages were acquired with unmanned aerial systems (UAS) imagery calculating individual crown for relating to canopy volume and AY. Yield levels did not vary between orchard categories; however, it did between irrigated orchards (7000-17,000 kg ha-1) and rainfed ones (4000-7000 kg ha-1). After that, manual canopy volume was related with the individual crown area of trees that were calculated by orthoimages acquired with UAS imagery. Finally, AY was forecasted using both manual canopy volume and individual tree crown area as main factors for olive productivity. AY forecast only by using individual crown area made it possible to get a simple and cheap forecast tool for a wide range of olive orchards. Finally, the acquired information was introduced in a thematic map describing spatial AY variability obtained from orthoimage analysis that may be a powerful tool for farmers, insurance systems, market forecasts or to detect agronomical problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Canopy characterization has become important when trying to optimize any kind of agricultural operation in high-growing crops, such as olive. Many sensors and techniques have reported satisfactory results in these approaches and in this work a 2D laser scanner was explored for measuring canopy trees in real-time conditions. The sensor was tested in both laboratory and field conditions to check its accuracy, its cone width, and its ability to characterize olive canopies in situ. The sensor was mounted on a mast and tested in laboratory conditions to check: (i) its accuracy at different measurement distances; (ii) its measurement cone width with different reflectivity targets; and (iii) the influence of the target's density on its accuracy. The field tests involved both isolated and hedgerow orchards, in which the measurements were taken manually and with the sensor. The canopy volume was estimated with a methodology consisting of revolving or extruding the canopy contour. The sensor showed high accuracy in the laboratory test, except for the measurements performed at 1.0 m distance, with 60 mm error (6%). Otherwise, error remained below 20 mm (1% relative error). The cone width depended on the target reflectivity. The accuracy decreased with the target density. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]