Articles
MACHINES FOR SHELL FRUITS HARVESTING: TECHNICAL AND ECONOMIC ASPECTS
Article number
940_21
Pages
171 – 178
Language
English
Abstract
The evolution and the state of the art of the mechanical harvesting of shell fruits are described in the paper (hazelnuts, walnuts and also chestnuts). In Italy since the 1980s, mechanical harvesting has gradually replaced the manual harvesting for hazelnuts and walnuts which was previously executed by picking the nuts from the plant or by piling and gathering the fallen fruits.
In this period, their innovations have been concerned not only with technical and economic performance (such as a reduction of operating time and costs) but also with the operators safety and health and, in general, with the improvement of the quality of the working environment and the control of some ergonomic aspects (dust, noise, posture) (Monarca et al., 2001, 2005, 2009). The same machines more recently have been modified also for chestnuts harvesting, not a typical shell fruit, to limit the damages of the fruits and the influence of mechanical harvesting on their quality (Monarca et al., 2003, 2005). After a description of the main technical aspects of the machines (with particular reference to the self-propelled harvesters), the authors discuss the results of experimental tests carried out in the last years.
Results showed remarkable harvesting performances for the different types of harvesters (pulled vacuum harvesters, with and without side-picker and trailer, self-propelled aspirating or picking harvesters with a trailer), which varied from about 0.2-0.4 ha/h for pulled machines to 0.35-0.5 ha/h for self-propelled ones.
The introduction of even more efficient and reliable machines allows the integral mechanization of the harvesting yards.
Reduced costs (from 5,000 for the smaller towed vacuum harvesters to 30,000 for the self-propelled) and the lack of seasonal workers has improved their spread even in smaller farms (2-3 ha).
In this period, their innovations have been concerned not only with technical and economic performance (such as a reduction of operating time and costs) but also with the operators safety and health and, in general, with the improvement of the quality of the working environment and the control of some ergonomic aspects (dust, noise, posture) (Monarca et al., 2001, 2005, 2009). The same machines more recently have been modified also for chestnuts harvesting, not a typical shell fruit, to limit the damages of the fruits and the influence of mechanical harvesting on their quality (Monarca et al., 2003, 2005). After a description of the main technical aspects of the machines (with particular reference to the self-propelled harvesters), the authors discuss the results of experimental tests carried out in the last years.
Results showed remarkable harvesting performances for the different types of harvesters (pulled vacuum harvesters, with and without side-picker and trailer, self-propelled aspirating or picking harvesters with a trailer), which varied from about 0.2-0.4 ha/h for pulled machines to 0.35-0.5 ha/h for self-propelled ones.
The introduction of even more efficient and reliable machines allows the integral mechanization of the harvesting yards.
Reduced costs (from 5,000 for the smaller towed vacuum harvesters to 30,000 for the self-propelled) and the lack of seasonal workers has improved their spread even in smaller farms (2-3 ha).
Authors
D. Monarca, M. Cecchini, P. Biondi, F. Colopardi, M. Guerrieri
Keywords
mechanization, harvest
Online Articles (100)