Articles
A stochastic planar cordon apple tree structural model to assist precision canopy management
Article number
1395_19
Pages
141 – 148
Language
English
Abstract
Narrow-row orchards utilising 2-dimesional planar cordon tree designs are beginning to be adopted commercially in New Zealand because of improved productivity, fruit quality, labour efficiency and amenability to automation and robotics.
At The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited, we are currently developing new, model-based tools and metrics to guide precision canopy management of planar cordon trees.
This study introduces a data-driven model designed to emulate planar cordon architectures, aiding in the realisation of digital twins.
The model was developed using spatial information of tree architecture acquired from a ground-based laser rangefinder station and manual measurements of shoot diameters.
We described the tree structure using non-parametric kernel distributions that accounted for the orientation, length, and diameter of individual shoot segments.
A simple calibration procedure that uses easily measured field parameters was also proposed to account for site-specific conditions.
An independent data set was used to assess the performance of the model by testing the hypothesis that the simulated trees have similar upright dry weight.
Preliminary results show that the methodology allowed fast reconstruction of planar cordon apple trees, maintaining similar traits to those found in manually reconstructed trees.
Our results also show that the estimated dry weight for the simulated and measured trees was highly correlated (i.e., R2=0.88). This work is a proof-of-concept that opens opportunities to simplify the use of digital twin models that require a large amount of spatial information to describe the tree architecture.
Future studies include incorporating the position of buds to simulate growth with the purpose of developing decision-support tools that can be used in precision canopy management.
At The New Zealand Institute for Plant and Food Research Limited, we are currently developing new, model-based tools and metrics to guide precision canopy management of planar cordon trees.
This study introduces a data-driven model designed to emulate planar cordon architectures, aiding in the realisation of digital twins.
The model was developed using spatial information of tree architecture acquired from a ground-based laser rangefinder station and manual measurements of shoot diameters.
We described the tree structure using non-parametric kernel distributions that accounted for the orientation, length, and diameter of individual shoot segments.
A simple calibration procedure that uses easily measured field parameters was also proposed to account for site-specific conditions.
An independent data set was used to assess the performance of the model by testing the hypothesis that the simulated trees have similar upright dry weight.
Preliminary results show that the methodology allowed fast reconstruction of planar cordon apple trees, maintaining similar traits to those found in manually reconstructed trees.
Our results also show that the estimated dry weight for the simulated and measured trees was highly correlated (i.e., R2=0.88). This work is a proof-of-concept that opens opportunities to simplify the use of digital twin models that require a large amount of spatial information to describe the tree architecture.
Future studies include incorporating the position of buds to simulate growth with the purpose of developing decision-support tools that can be used in precision canopy management.
Authors
F. Rojo, T. Kaneko, Junqi Zhu, Xiumei Yang, K. Breen, J. Bristow, B. van Hooijdonk
Keywords
canopy reconstruction, digital twin, tree architecture
Groups involved
- Division Temperate Tree Nuts
- Division Vine and Berry Fruits
- Division Temperate Tree Fruits
- Division Precision Horticulture and Engineering
- Division Plant-Environment Interactions in Field Systems
- Division Tropical and Subtropical Fruit and Nuts
- Working Group Precision Management of Orchards and Vineyards
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