Mass Harvesters
Increasing efficiency and productivity of commercially available Mechanical Harvesters (MH) can reduce harvesting costs and hasten their adoption. Several design features are being examined as to how they can improve efficiency of mass harvesters (TSC, CCSC) to help them become more productive, require less hand labor and to help reduce tree injuries. Better forward speed synchronization of two harvesting machines will improve to the catch frame efficiency and increase the fruit recovery rate. In addition, the development of a yield monitoring system will enable grove managers to monitor yields within a block and allow them to manage production inputs more effectively. Better understanding the physics of fruit removal by continuous canopy shakers (CCSC and TDCS) could lead to improve the technology of shaking mechanisms and to reduce tree injuries and damage of the shaking tines.