The use of agricultural robots in orchard management

Publication date: 29/06/2019
Extent: 28 pages

Contributions by: Qin Zhang and Manoj Karkee, Washington State University, USA; and Amy Tabb, USDA-ARS, USA

Chapter synopsis: The use of robotic or automated machines in orchard operations is associated primarily with insufficient labour availability and rapidly increasing labour costs in tree fruit production and is critical for improving yield of high-quality fruit with minimal dependence on seasonal human labour. This chapter provides an overview of robotic technologies for major tree fruit production tasks, including robotic pruning, thinning, spraying, harvesting and fruit transportation. Finally, the chapter looks ahead to future research trends in this area.

DOI: 10.19103/AS.2019.0056.14