Click on “Download PDF” for the PDF version or on the title for the HTML version.


If you are not an ASABE member or if your employer has not arranged for access to the full-text, Click here for options.

A Yield Sensing System For Broccoli

Published by the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers, St. Joseph, Michigan www.asabe.org

Citation:  Paper number  021210,  2002 ASAE Annual Meeting . (doi: 10.13031/2013.9160) @2002
Authors:   Saldaña Robles Noé, Cabrera Sixto José Manuel, Serwatoski Hlawinska Ryszard Jerzy
Keywords:   Precision farming, non combinable crops, yield mapping, broccoli.

The starting point for precision farming is the yield map. A yield sensing system is specific for the equipment and harvest methodology employed in a crop. In this work, a yield sensing system for broccoli was developed for the broccoli harvesting method used when a harvesting aid conveyor and a trailer with containers following the conveyor are used. The harvesting aid conveyor was modified by adding two load cells that carry an idler roller which is under the belt of the conveyor, a speed sensor, a travel distance meter and a GPS with DGPS capabilities. The load cells signals, a sensor speed signal representing the belt speed and time were integrated to get weight of broccoli harvested in a defined period of time. The harvest equipment traveled distance multiplied by the width harvested allowed the system to get harvested area for the same period of time. Then weight and area were used to calculate yield data which were combined with GPS position for making the yield maps. The yield map done by the system was compared to a yield map done with weight data obtained in a separate bascule for each sampled area. For an area harvested of 0.39 ha the weight of broccoli obtained was 1,771 kg and the total weight obtained by the system was 1,778 kg so the error was only 0.4%. A visual comparison of maps shows a good correspondence between them.

(Download PDF)    (Export to EndNotes)