Automation in Tree Fruit Production

Automation in Tree Fruit Production PDF

Author: Qin Zhang

Publisher: CABI

Published: 2017-11-30

Total Pages: 312

ISBN-13: 1780648502

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Automation in agriculture is made possible by the integration of advanced agricultural technology and precision agriculture management. This book, uniquely, will focus on applications of automation to the important industry of tree fruit production. Written by experts in agricultural automation technology from around the world, chapters in this book cover topics such as automated tree fruit production systems, plant stress sensing and high-throughput phenotyping in precision horticulture, the economics of automation in tree fruit production, light interception sensing systems for canopy management, precision irrigation and water management, precision technologies for pest and disease management, opportunities for the application of robotics in tree fruit production, and the mechanical harvesting and handling of fruit crops. The book is a representative, concise overview of the variety of technologies currently being applied to tree fruit crops around the world and the challenges faced by engineers and farmers that these technologies raise. It is aimed at researchers and graduate students of agriculture systems, agricultural and biological engineering, crop and soil sciences, horticulture, precision agriculture, and other relevant disciplines. It will also be of use to agriculture consultants, engineers, and other professionals such as agricultural equipment manufacturers and management professionals who use precision agriculture technologies.

Advanced Automation for Tree Fruit Orchards and Vineyards

Advanced Automation for Tree Fruit Orchards and Vineyards PDF

Author: Stavros G. Vougioukas

Publisher: Springer Nature

Published: 2023-05-23

Total Pages: 246

ISBN-13: 3031269411

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Modern tree fruit orchards and vineyards constitute complex production systems that are exposed to highly dynamic and stochastic natural, financial and societal forces, and face demands for increased production using fewer resources, with reduced environmental impact. Successful operation of orchards and vineyards under these conditions is practically impossible without careful and extensive use of state-of-the-art automation technologies and careful planning of future operations (e.g., training systems when replanting) that can be enabled by knowledge of emerging technologies and future trends. Also, improvement of existing automation technologies and development of novel future systems cannot be accomplished without a working understanding of the tree and vine biological production systems, their management needs, and the capabilities and limitations of existing automation systems. The book aims to provide the necessary knowledge to achieve the above goals in a way that can engage readers without engineering or horticultural backgrounds.

Tree Fruit Production

Tree Fruit Production PDF

Author: Benjamin J. Teskey

Publisher: Springer Science & Business Media

Published: 2012-12-06

Total Pages: 422

ISBN-13: 1468468677

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This is a revised and updated edition of the book Tree Fruit Production, first published in 1959 and extensively revised in the second edition in 1972. Considerable advances have been made in recent years in the scientific production and handling of deciduous tree fruits in North America. This third edition brings together in up-to-date usable text book form the essence of pertinent research and practical experience on the subject. Although the principles involved in the different operations of orchard management, such as pruning, soil management, fruit thin ning, and harvesting remain constant, practices and techniques have been undergoing considerable change. Economic and social changes have been brought to bear in altering the approach to such aspects of pomology as tree size, plant density, mechanical harvesting, pest control and irrigation. Greatly increased costs of production have swung the emphasis of attention toward the wider use of organic chemicals in the orchard. Growth regulating substances are finding a place in the orchard, not only for fruit thinning, preharvest drop control and weed suppression, but also for other purposes such as promotion of early flowering, tree train ing, pruning and the advancement and extension of the harvest season. The trend toward the smaller, more easily and economically managed apple tree which began slowly some three or more decades ago and increased rapidly in subsequent years is now complete.

Fundamentals of Agricultural and Field Robotics

Fundamentals of Agricultural and Field Robotics PDF

Author: Manoj Karkee

Publisher: Springer Nature

Published: 2021

Total Pages: 462

ISBN-13: 3030704009

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Over the past century, mechanization has been an important means for optimizing resource utilization, improving worker health and safety and reducing labor requirements in farming while increasing productivity and quality of 4F (Food, Fuel, Fiber, Feed). Recognizing this contribution, agricultural mechanization was considered as one of the top ten engineering achievements of 20th century by the National Academy of Engineering. Accordingly farming communities have adopted increasing level of automation and robotics to further improve the precision management of crops (including input resources), increase productivity and reduce farm labor beyond what has been possible with conventional mechanization technologies. It is more important than ever to continue to develop and adopt novel automation and robotic solutions into farming so that some of the most complex agricultural tasks, which require huge amount of seasonal labor such as fruit and vegetable harvesting, could be automated while meeting the rapidly increasing need for 4F. In addition, continual innovation in and adoption of agricultural automation and robotic technologies is essential to minimize the use of depleting resources including water, minerals and other chemicals so that sufficient amount of safe and healthy food can be produced for current generation while not compromising the potential for the future generation. This book aims at presenting the fundamental principles of various aspects of automation and robotics as they relate to production agriculture (the branch of agriculture dealing with farming operations from field preparation to seeding, to harvesting and field logistics). The building blocks of agricultural automation and robotics that are discussed in the book include sensing and machine vision, control, guidance, manipulation and end-effector technologies. The fundamentals and operating principles of these technologies are explained with examples from cutting-edge research and development currently going on around the word. This book brings together scientists, engineers, students and professionals working in these and related technologies to present their latest examples of agricultural automation and robotics research, innovation and development while explaining the fundamentals of the technology. The book, therefore, benefits those who wish to develop novel agricultural engineering solutions and/or to adopt them in the future. .

Innovation in Agricultural Robotics for Precision Agriculture

Innovation in Agricultural Robotics for Precision Agriculture PDF

Author: Avital Bechar

Publisher: Springer Nature

Published: 2021-08-18

Total Pages: 217

ISBN-13: 3030770362

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This book provides a review of the state-of-the-art of agricultural robotics in different aspects of PA, the goals, and the gaps. The book introduces the area of Agricultural Robotics for Precision Agriculture (PA) specifically the conditions and limitations for implementing robots in this field and presents the concepts, principles, required abilities, components, characteristics and performance measures, conditions, and rules for robots in PA.

Towards Unmanned Apple Orchard Production Cycle

Towards Unmanned Apple Orchard Production Cycle PDF

Author: Zhao Zhang

Publisher: Springer Nature

Published: 2024-01-12

Total Pages: 241

ISBN-13: 9819961246

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The book provides the most recent technology for sensing and automation in apple production cycle in terms of bagging robotics, flower pollination robotics, pruning robotics, and harvest robotics. It does not only summarize the development of technology progress, but also discuss the future trend for unmanned apple production cycle. Though apple production still mainly relies on manual labor, a huge number of innovative technologies emerge during the past years, which pave the road for unmanned apple orchard management. A book summarizing all these new and innovative technologies is needed, to provide an easy approach to understand this field quickly and comprehensively, which drives the publication of this book. This book is a useful reference for students, researchers, and practitioners in the field of apple production.

Agricultural Automation

Agricultural Automation PDF

Author: Qin Zhang

Publisher: CRC Press

Published: 2016-04-19

Total Pages: 411

ISBN-13: 1439880581

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Agricultural automation is the core technology for computer-aided agricultural production management and implementation. An integration of equipment, infotronics, and precision farming technologies, it creates viable solutions for challenges facing the food, fiber, feed, and fuel needs of the human race now and into the future. Agricultural Automat

Agricultural Cybernetics

Agricultural Cybernetics PDF

Author: Yanbo Huang

Publisher: Springer Nature

Published: 2021-08-17

Total Pages: 264

ISBN-13: 3030721027

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Agricultural systems are uniquely complex systems, given that agricultural systems are parts of natural and ecological systems. Those aspects bring in a substantial degree of uncertainty in system operation. Also, impact factors, such as weather factors, are critical in agricultural systems but these factors are uncontrollable in system management. Modern agriculture has been evolving through precision agriculture beginning in the late 1980s and biotechnological innovations in the early 2000s. Precision agriculture implements site-specific crop production management by integrating agricultural mechanization and information technology in geographic information system (GIS), global navigation satellite system (GNSS), and remote sensing. Now, precision agriculture is set to evolve into smart agriculture with advanced systematization, informatization, intelligence and automation. From precision agriculture to smart agriculture, there is a substantial amount of specific control and communication problems that have been investigated and will continue to be studied. In this book, the core ideas and methods from control problems in agricultural production systems are extracted, and a system view of agricultural production is formulated for the analysis and design of management strategies to control and optimize agricultural production systems while exploiting the intrinsic feedback information-exchanging mechanisms. On this basis, the theoretical framework of agricultural cybernetics is established to predict and control the behavior of agricultural production systems through control theory.