Olive fruit detachment force against pulling and torsional stress

Keywords: fruit retention force, olive harvesting, stalk twisting, stalk spinning, fruit rotation, trunk shaker, fruit physics

Abstract

Olive harvesting often requires high hand labour, considering that workers, with long poles or hand held devices, aid trunk shaker due to low harvesting efficiency. Currently, fruit detachment force (FDF) and fruit fresh weight were used to predict harvesting efficiency, although during harvesting process, fruit is subjected to bending and twisting movement besides pulling forces simulated by FDF measurements. For these reasons, the aim of the present study was to determine FDF evolution under different stalk twisting angles. In order to provide more information about mechanical behaviour of olive stalk, a trial was carried out during ripening process on four olive (Olea europaea L.) cultivars: Frantoio, Arbequina, Leccino and Maurino. FDF under traction force was measured after applying different stalk twisting angles (0°, 90°, 180°, 270°, 360°, 540°, 720º). FDF was considered to be 0 when fruit was detached from the bearing branch during the twisting process. Fruit weight, firmness, ripeness index and oil content were also measured to determine the optimal period for olive harvesting and olive ripening stage at each sampling date. FDF was significantly reduced, usually over 180º, when stalk was rotated before applying the pull force to measure FDF, keeping differences along fruit ripening process. Moreover, stalk twisting was an important variable for olive detachment, considering that fruits detached without pulling forces varied between 10.7 and 58.8% of the total fruits according with the different sampling dates. For these reasons, present and future harvesting systems, should take advantage of stalk susceptibility against torsion or bending strain to increase harvesting efficiency.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Blanco-Roldán GL, Gil-Ribes JA, Kouraba K, Castro-García S, 2009. Effects of trunk shaker duration and repetitions on removal efficacy for the harvesting of oil olives. Appl Eng Agric 25: 329-334. https://doi.org/10.13031/2013.26883

Çakmak B, Saraçoğlu T, Alayunt FN, Özarslan C, 2011. Vibration and noise characteristics of flap type olive harvesters. Appl Ergon 42: 397-402. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apergo.2010.08.015

Camposeo S, Vivaldi GA, Gattullo CE, 2013. Ripening indices and harvesting times of different olive cultivars for continuous harvest. Sci Hortic (Amsterdam) 151: 1-10. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scienta.2012.12.019

Carmona-Torres C, Parra-López C, Hinojosa-Rodríguez A, Sayadi S, 2014. Farm-level multifunctionality associated with farming techniques in olive growing: An integrated modeling approach. Agric Syst 127: 97-114. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agsy.2014.02.001

Castillo-Llanque F, Rapoport HF, 2009. Identifying the location of olive fruit abscission, Sci Hortic (Amsterdam) 120: 292-295. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scienta.2008.11.006

Castillo-Ruiz FJ, Jimenez-Jimenez F, Blanco-Roldan GL, Sola-Guirado RR, Aguera-Vega J, Castro-Garcia S, 2015a. Analysis of fruit and oil quantity and quality distribution in high-density olive trees in order to improve the mechanical harvesting process. Span J Agric Res 13: 1-8. https://doi.org/10.5424/sjar/2015132-6513

Castillo-Ruiz FJ, Pérez-Ruiz M, Blanco-Roldán GL, Gil-Ribes JA, Agüera J, 2015b. Development of a telemetry and yield-mapping system of olive harvester. Sensors 15: 4001-4018. https://doi.org/10.3390/s150204001

Castillo-Ruiz FJ, Tombesi S, Farinelli D, 2016. Tracking olive fruit movement and twisting using video analysis during harvesting process. Proc. VIII Int Olive Symp, Split (Croatia), Oct 10-14. pp: 134-141.

Castro-García S, Blanco-Roldán GL, Gil-Ribes JA, Agüera-Vega J, 2008. Dynamic analysis of olive trees in intensive orchards under forced vibration. Trees 22: 795-802. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00468-008-0240-9

Castro-Garcia S, Castillo-Ruiz FJ, Jimenez-Jimenez F, Gil-Ribes JA, Blanco-Roldan GL, 2015. Suitability of spanish "manzanilla" table olive orchards for trunk shaker harvesting. Biosyst Eng 129: 388-395. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biosystemseng.2014.11.012

Chiu YC, Yang PY, Chen S, 2013. Development of the end-effector of a picking robot for greenhouse-grown tomatoes. Appl Eng Agric 29: 1001-1009.

D'Agostino A, Giametta F, Giametta G, Mauro S, Zimbalatti G, 2008. Preliminary tests to assess the dynamics of the vibrations transmitted on olive trees by mechanized harvest by shakers. Acta Hortic 791: 285-295. https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2008.791.41

Famiani F, Farinelli D, Rollo S, Camposeo S, Di Vaio C, Inglese P, 2014. Evaluation of different mechanical fruit harvesting systems and oil quality in very large size olive trees. Span J Agric Res 12 (4): 960-972. https://doi.org/10.5424/sjar/2014124-5794

Farinelli D, Tombesi S, 2015. Performance and oil quality of "Arbequina" and four Italian olive cultivars under super high density hedgerow planting system cultivated in central Italy. Sci Hortic (Amsterdam) 192: 97-107. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scienta.2015.04.035

Farinelli D, Boco M, Tombesi A, 2002. Intensity and growth period of the fruit components of olive varieties. Acta Hortic 586: 607-610. https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2002.586.128

Farinelli D, Ruffolo M, Boco M, Tombesi A, 2012a. Yield efficiency and mechanical harvesting with trunk shaker of some international olive cultivars. Proc. VI international symposium on olive growing, Evora (Portugal), Sept 9-13. pp: 379-384. https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2012.949.55

Farinelli D, Tombesi S, Famiani F, Tombesi A, 2012b. The fruit detachment force/fruit weight ratio can be used to predict the harvesting yield and the efficiency of trunk shakers on mechanically harvested olives. Proc. I Int Symp on Mechanical Harvesting and Handling Systems of Fruits and Nuts, Lake Alfred (USA), Apr 2-4. pp: 61-64. https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2012.965.5

Garcia JM, Yousfi K, 2005. Non-destructive and objective methods for the evaluation of the maturation level of olive fruit. Eur Food Res Technol 221: 538-541. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00217-005-1180-x

Gracia A, León L, 2011. Non-destructive assessment of olive fruit ripening by portable near infrared spectroscopy. Grasas y Aceites 62: 268-274. https://doi.org/10.3989/gya.089610

Gurusinghe SH, Shackel KA, 1995. The relation of cambial zone mechanical strength to growth and irrigation of almond [Prunus dulcis (Mill.) Webb.] trees. J Am Soc Hortic Sci 120: 170-176.

IOOC, 2015. World olive oil figures. http://www.internationaloliveoil.org/estaticos/view/131-world-olive-oil-figures [10/03/2016].

Lavee S, Avidan B, Ben-Tal Y, 1982. Effect of fruit size and yield on the fruit-removal-force within and between olive cultivars. Sci Hortic (Amsterdam) 17: 27-32. https://doi.org/10.1016/0304-4238(82)90058-9

Leone A, Romaniello R, Tamborrino A, Catalano P, Peri G, 2015. Identification of vibration frequency, acceleration, and duration for efficient olive harvesting using a trunk shaker. T ASABE 58: 19-26.

Li J, Karkee M, Zhang Q, Xiao K, Feng T, 2016. Characterizing apple picking patterns for robotic harvesting. Comput Electron Agric 127: 633-640. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compag.2016.07.024

López-Giménez FJ, 1979. Estudio dinámico de los modelos Fruto-pedúnculo del olivo. Doctoral thesis. Univ. of Cordoba, Córdoba Spain.

MAPAMA, 2016. Olive oil and table olives. http://www.mapama.gob.es/es/agricultura/temas/producciones-agricolas/aceite-oliva-y-aceituna-mesa/aceite.aspx [10/03/2016].

Młotek M, Kuta Ł, Stopa R, Komarnicki P, 2015. The effect of manual harvesting of fruit on the health of workers and the quality of the obtained produce. Procedia Manuf 3: 1712-1719. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.promfg.2015.07.494

Novello R, Bueno LA, Andrieu J, Miranda O, 2014. Comparative study of mechanical harvesting costs for different planting models in San Juan, Argentina. Acta Hortic 1057: 453-456. https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2014.1057.57

Polat R, Acar I, Bilim HIC, Saglam R, Erol AKB, 2011. Determination of spring rigidity and fruit detachment force with respect to harvesting technique in pistachio nut trees. Afr J Agric Res 6: 532-537.

Pomarici E, Vecchio R, 2013. The Italian olive oil industry in the global competitive scenario. Agric Econ 59: 361-372.

Portarena S, Farinelli D, Lauteri M, Famiani F, Esti M, Brugnoli E, 2015. Stable isotope and fatty acid compositions of monovarietal olive oils: Implications of ripening stage and climate effects as determinants in traceability studies. Food Control 57: 129-135. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodcont.2015.03.052

Sanders KF, 2005. Orange harvesting systems review. Biosyst Eng 90: 115-125. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biosystemseng.2004.10.006

Savary SKJU, Ehsani R, Salyani M, Hebel MA, Bora GC, 2011. Study of force distribution in the citrus tree canopy during harvest using a continuous canopy shaker. Comput Electron Agric 76: 51-58. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compag.2011.01.005

Sessiz A, Özcan MT, 2006. Olive removal with pneumatic branch shaker and abscission chemical. J Food Eng 76: 148-153. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfoodeng.2005.05.002

Sola-Guirado RR, Castro-García S, Blanco-Roldán GL, Jiménez-Jiménez F, Castillo-Ruiz FJ, Gil-Ribes JA, 2014. Traditional olive tree response to oil olive harvesting technologies. Biosyst Eng 118: 186-193. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biosystemseng.2013.12.007

Tombesi S, Farinelli D, 2014. Evaluation of canopy elasticity, light penetration and reciprocal shading for optimal canopy management in high density hedgerow olive orchards. Acta Hortic 1057: 315-320. https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2014.1057.36

Tombesi S, Tombesi A, Molfese M, Cipolletti M, Visco T, 2011. Evaluation of four cultivars regarding their suitability in high-intensity olive orchards. Proc. XXVIII International Horticultural Congress - IHC2010, Lisbon (Portugal), Aug 22-27. pp: 321-326. https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.2011.924.40

Tombesi S, Poni S, Palliotti A, Farinelli D, 2017. Mechanical vibration transmission and harvesting effectiveness is affected by the presence of branch suckers in olive trees. Biosyst Eng 158: 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biosystemseng.2017.03.010

Torregrosa A, Albert F, Aleixos N, Ortiz C, Blasco J, 2014. Analysis of the detachment of citrus fruits by vibration using artificial vision. Biosyst Eng 119: 1-2. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biosystemseng.2013.12.010

Tsatsarelis CA, 1987. Vibratory olive harvesting: The response of the fruit-stem system to fruit removing actions. J Agric Eng Res 38: 77-90. https://doi.org/10.1016/0021-8634(87)90120-X

Uceda M, Hermoso M, 1998. La calidad del aceite de oliva. In: El cultivo del olivo; Barranco D, Fernandez-Escobar R, Rallo L (eds.). pp: 547-572. Junta de Andalucía-Mundi-Prensa, Madrid.

Upadhyaya SK, Cooke JR, Rand RH, 1981. Limb impact harvesting, Part I: Finite element analysis. T ASAE 24: 856-863. https://doi.org/10.13031/2013.34352

Vilar Hernández J, Velasco Gámez MDM, Puentes Poyatos R, Martínez Rodriguez AM, 2011. El olivar tradicional: alternativas estratégicas de competitividad. Grasas y Aceites 62: 221-229. https://doi.org/10.3989/gya.091610

Vivaldi G, Strippoli G, Pascuzzi S, Stellacci AM, Camposeo S, 2015. Olive genotypes cultivated in an adult high-density orchard respond differently to canopy restraining by mechanical and manual pruning. Sci Hortic (Amsterdam) 192: 391-399. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scienta.2015.06.004

Zhou J, He L, Karkee M, Zhang Q, 2016. Analysis of shaking-induced cherry fruit motion and damage. Biosyst Eng 144: 105-114. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biosystemseng.2016.02.007

Zipori I, Dag A, Tugendhaft Y, Birger R, 2014. Mechanical harvesting of table olives: Harvest efficiency and fruit quality. HortScience 49: 55-58.

Published
2018-04-26
How to Cite
Castillo-Ruiz, F. J., Tombesi, S., & Farinelli, D. (2018). Olive fruit detachment force against pulling and torsional stress. Spanish Journal of Agricultural Research, 16(1), e0202. https://doi.org/10.5424/sjar/2018161-12269
Section
Agricultural engineering