Sweet Cherry Mechanical Harvest Technology Research at WSU

Prof. Qin ZhangCenter for Precision & Automated Agricultural

SystemsWashington State University

2012 International Mechanical Harvest Symposium

WSU CPAAS: An Overview

The Center for Precision and Automated Agricultural Systems (CPAAS) was established in 1999.

Offer an integrated framework for automated and precision agriculture efforts at WSU.

Currently put a strong emphasis on specialty crop related research, including mechanical harvest

CPAAS: Trans-disciplinary Research

Information Sciences

Economic Sciences

Biological Sciences

Growing: Land preparation Planting/transplanting Pruning Thinning

Managing: Water management Weeds management Pest management Disease management

Harvesting: Maturity Non-selective harvest Selective harvest Traceability

Post-harvesting: Safety Quality Transporting Traceability

Engineering Sciences

Challenges in Mechanical Harvest

1. Orchard System: Machine compatibility

2. Need for crop load uniformity

3. Range of orchard systems

4. Market size

5. Assist systems do not replace large numbers of employees

6. Capital investment required

WSU CPAAS, collaborating closely with industry, is developing a roadmap to develop mechanized fruit harvest systems.

The near future focus - will be on fruit removal from the tree and transport the removed fruits to the bin.

4 dimensional 3 dimensional 2 dimensional

Complex system need high degree of skill

(4th D)Wide range of size quality

Simpler Improved quality

Apply existing technology

SimplestAbility to be market specific

New and existing technologies

Mechanical-Assist Harvest

DBR Conveyor

Concepts LLC

Oxbo

International -

Picker Technology Van Doran

Sales

Future Cherry Production Systems

A Total Systems Approach to Developing a Sustainable Stem-free Sweet Cherry Production, Processing and Marketing System

- SCRI project 2009-02559

Project Directors: Matthew Whiting, Qin Zhang Washington State University

Mechanical Harvest of Stem-Free Cherry

Impact plate

Bench

Hydraulic motor

Crank-slider mechanism

Flow control valve

Mechanical Harvest of Stem-Free Cherry

Result of Mechanical Harvest

Fruit removal/retrieval:

Collected

Left on tree

On ground

1219 lbs

124 lbs

132 lbs

1475 lbs

83%

8%

9%

Mechanical Harvest Performances

What’s the Best Solutions?