Competition-based Model of Pruning: Applications to Apple Trees

International audienceno abstrac

Spatial Reconstruction of Biological Trees from Point Cloud

Trees are complex systems in nature whose topology and geometry ar

Optimal Design of Plant Canopy Based on Light Interception: A Case Study With Loquat

Canopy architecture determines the light distribution and light interception in the canopy. Reasonable shaping and pruning can optimize tree structure; maximize the utilization of land, space and light energy; and lay the foundation for achieving early fruiting, high yield, health and longevity. Due to the complexity of loquat canopy architecture and the multi-year period of tree growth, the variables needed for experiments in canopy type training are hardly accessible through field measurements. In this paper, we concentrated on exploring the relationship between branching angle and light interception using a three-dimensional (3D) canopy model in loquat (Eriobotrya japonica Lindl). First, detailed 3D models of loquat trees were built by integrating branch and organ models. Second, the morphological models of different loquat trees were constructed by interactive editing. Third, the 3D individual-tree modeling software LSTree integrated with the OpenGL shadow technique, a radiosity model and a modified rectangular hyperbola model was used to calculate the silhouette to total area ratio, the distribution of photosynthetically active radiation within canopies and the net photosynthetic rate, respectively. Finally, the influence of loquat tree organ organization on the light interception of the trees was analyzed with different parameters. If the single branch angle between the level 2 scaffold branch and trunk is approximately 15° and the angles among the level 2 scaffold branches range from 60 to 90°, then a better light distribution can be obtained. The results showed that the branching angle has a significant impact on light interception, which is useful for grower manipulation of trees, e.g., shoot bending (scaffold branch angle). Based on this conclusion, a reasonable tree structure was selected for intercepting light. This quantitative simulation and analytical method provides a new digital and visual method that can aid in the design of tree architecture

Interactive Visualization of Virtual Orchard

Colloque avec actes et comité de lecture. internationale.International audienceIn the application in agriculture and forestry of modeling and simulation of three-dimensional plant growth, interactive visualization of virtual plant community using recently developed model processing and model simplification technology in computer graphics and virtual reality becomes a new focus. The new methods in this paper are the simplifications of models with special shapes: Progressive Leaves Union and View-Dependent Branch Mesh Reorganization, where the originalities include: (1) topological structure modifying progressive simplification with error analysis for sparse parts of a plant, i.e., leaves, flowers and fruits; (2) multi-resolution remeshing for continuous parts, mainly branches; (3) simplification degree determined by viewpoint position, permitted errors, display resolution, and different positions of plants. Therefore, plant models with high proportional simplification are obtained keeping original visual effect within permission scope. Plant modeling and the growth simulation methods in AMAP team are used and plant-positioning data are generated from software AMAP-OrchestraTM as data source. An interactive navigation in virtual orchard is accomplished, and a virtual apple orchard is presented as an example. All of this work is taken in the organization and environment of the high performance computation and visualization in ISA and SILVES projects of INRIA

AMAPstudio: a 3D Interactive Software Suite for Plants Architecture Modelling

Plants architecture modelling results in building complex models. Turning them into simulators requires strong interaction between scientists and software developers. The AMAPstudio project adapts a methodology that has been successfully conducted in the forestry modelling field for 12 years. It focuses on a long-term supported software environment and a strong customized technical backing to help modellers integrate their simulators in highly 3D interactive softwar

Sweet cherries from the end of the world: options and constraints for fruit production systems in South Patagonia, Argentina

Tesis para obtener el grado de Philosophical Doctor (PhD), de la Wageningen University, en 2007North Patagonia (Neuquén and Río Negro Provinces), and in particular the upper valley of Río Negro, is a traditional region of fruit production. Here most of the Argentinean apples and pears are produced. However, in South Patagonia (Chubut, Santa Cruz and Tierra del Fuego Provinces), development of this agricultural sector has been rather limited and concerns almost exclusively the production of sweet cherry, with an area increase from 176 ha in 1997 to 578 ha at the end of 2006. These new orchards are all designed as intensive systems (modern training systems with high planting density, drip irrigation systems and sprinkler irrigation as frost control method) and planted with cultivars that potentially produce high quality fruit, suitable for export markets. Growers from the Lower Valley of Chubut River, Los Antiguos, Sarmiento and Comodoro Rivadavia have been exporting sweet cherries to Europe for some time. Concurrently, provincial organisations and INTA (Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria) were convinced of the possibilities to expand sweet cherry production and have been supporting the development of this crop through applied research and extension. Diversification towards other fruit-tree crops has not really developed, neither does policy promote it. Different fruit crops need packing facilities and labour at different times of the season, and they have similar commercial canals and logistic knowledge requirements. Hence, even though sweet cherry seems currently the most profitable crop in the region, other fruit crops may be interesting to increase the use efficiency of the available resources, to complement income and to spread risk. The general objective of this study was to assess constraints and opportunities for fruit production systems in Chubut and Santa Cruz Provinces (South Patagonia, Argentina). Nevertheless, emphasis was on sweet cherry, because this is currently the most important fruit-tree crop, while at the same time many important aspects, such as yield and quality potential of - and frost damage risk to - this crop are poorly understood. In the context of cherry production for export, it is important to define fruit quality and how this can be affected. Although quality has different meanings for different stakeholders (producers, distributors, consumers, etc.) consumer acceptance seems to be the most important factor to be considered. Several parameters can be used to estimate indirectly consumer acceptance, but independent of consumer liking,La Patagonia Norte (Provincias de Neuquén y Río Negro), y en particular el Alto Valle de Río Negro, es la región donde tradicionalmente se producen frutas. Aquí se producen la mayoría de las manzanas y peras argentinas. Sin embargo, en Patagonia Sur (Provincias de Chubut, Santa Cruz y Tierra del Fuego), el desarrollo de este sector agrícola ha estado bastante limitado y concerniente casi exclusivamente a la producción de cerezas, con un incremento en área de 176 ha en 1997 a 578 ha a finales de 2006. Estos nuevos montes han sido diseñados como sistemas intensivos (sistemas modernos de conducción con alta densidad de plantación, sistemas de riego por goteo, y riego por aspersión como método de control de heladas) y plantados con cultivares que potencialmente producen fruta de alta calidad, apropiada para mercados de exportación. Desde hace algún tiempo, productores del Valle Inferior del Río Chubut, Los Antiguos, Sarmiento y Comodoro Rivadavia han estado exportando cerezas a Europa. Al mismo tiempo, organizaciones provinciales y el INTA (Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria) han estado convencidos sobre las posibilidades de expansión de la producción de cerezas y han estado apoyando el desarrollo de este cultivo mediante investigación aplicada y extensión. La diversificación hacia otros cultivos frutícolas arbóreos realmente no ha empezado a desarrollarse, ni tampoco ha habido una política de promoción en ese sentido. Diferentes cultivos frutícolas requieren mano de obra e instalaciones de empaque en diferentes momentos de la temporada, y tienen similares canales comerciales y requerimientos de conocimiento sobre logística. Por lo tanto, a pesar de que el cerezo parece ser hoy en día el cultivo más rentable en la región, otros cultivos frutícolas podrían ser interesantes para incrementar la eficiencia de uso de los recursos disponibles, como así también para complementar el ingreso y para disminuir el riesgo. El objetivo general de este estudio fue evaluar las restricciones y oportunidades para los sistemas de producción de frutas en las Provincias de Chubut y Santa Cruz (Patagonia Sur, Argentina). No obstante, el énfasis fue puesto en el cerezo, debido a que hoy en día es el cultivo frutícola arbóreo más importante, mientras que al mismo tiempo hay una insuficiente comprensión sobre muchos aspectos importantes, tales como el potencial de rendimiento y de calidad, y el riesgo de daño por heladas.Noord Patagonia (de provincies Neuquén en Rio Negro), en in het bijzonder het stroomopwaartse gedeelte van de vallei waardoor de Rio Negro stroomt, is traditioneel gezien de regio waar fruit wordt geproduceerd. Hier komen de meeste appels en peren vandaan die in Argentinië worden geproduceerd. De ontwikkeling van deze landbouwsector is in Zuid Patagonia (de provincies Chubut, Santa Cruz en Tierra del Fuego) achtergebleven en beperkt zich hoofdzakelijk tot de productie van kersen. Het areaal onder kersen is van 1997 tot het einde van 2006 wel gegroeid van 176 ha tot 578 ha. Deze nieuwe boomgaarden zijn allemaal ontworpen als intensieve systemen, gekenmerkt door hoge plantdichtheden, moderne snoeimethoden, druppelirrigatiesystemen en sproeiinstallaties ter voorkoming van nachtvorstschade. De gebruikte cultivars zijn potentieel hoog producerend met kersen van goede kwaliteit, geschikt voor de exportmarkt. Fruittelers uit de Lower Valley van de Chubut River, Los Antiguos, Sarmiento en Comodoro Rivadavia exporteren al enige tijd kersen naar Europa. Bovendien waren provinciale organisaties en INTA (Instituto Nacional de Tecnologica Agropecuaria, het nationale onderzoeksinstituut) overtuigd van de mogelijkheden voor uitbreiding van de kersenproductie en hebben de ontwikkeling van deze teelt gestimuleerd door toegepast onderzoek en voorlichting. Diversifiëren van de fruitteelt door teelt van andere vruchten dan alleen kersen is niet echt op gang gekomen en wordt ook niet geopromoot door de overheid. Wanneer verschillende fruitsoorten in één bedrijf zouden worden verbouwd, zouden bestaande verpakkingsfaciliteiten en aanwezige arbeid gedurende langere tijd gebruikt kunnen worden, terwijl dezelfde logistieke kennis en kanalen voor vermarkten gebruikt zouden kunnen worden. Hoewel kersenteelt op dit moment het meest winstgevend lijkt in deze regio, kan de teelt van andere soorten fruit interessant zijn om de efficiëntie van gebruik van faciliteiten en arbeid te verhogen. Bovendien kan teelt van verschillende soorten fruit het risico verminderen en het inkomen van fruittelers complementeren. De algemene doelstelling van deze studie was het verkennen van beperkingen en mogelijkheden voor fruitproductiesystemen in de provincies Chubut and Santa Cruz (Zuid Patagonia, Argentinië). Toch lag het accent op kersenteelt, omdat deze teelt op dit moment het belangrijkst is en er tegelijkertijd nog weinig bekend is over veel aspecten van de teelt, zoals het potentieel aan opbrengst en kwaliteit, en het risico van vorstschade.EEA ChubutFil: Cittadini, Eduardo Daniel. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Chubut. Grupo de Fruticultura; Argentin

Localization, Navigation and Activity Planning for Wheeled Agricultural Robots – A Survey

Source at:https://fruct.org/publications/volume-32/fruct32/High cost, time intensive work, labor shortages and inefficient strategies have raised the need of employing mobile robotics to fully automate agricultural tasks and fulfil the requirements of precision agriculture. In order to perform an agricultural task, the mobile robot goes through a sequence of sub operations and integration of hardware and software systems. Starting with localization, an agricultural robot uses sensor systems to estimate its current position and orientation in field, employs algorithms to find optimal paths and reach target positions. It then uses techniques and models to perform feature recognition and finally executes the agricultural task through an end effector. This article, compiled through scrutinizing the current literature, is a step-by-step approach of the strategies and ways these sub-operations are performed and integrated together. An analysis has also been done on the limitations in each sub operation, available solutions, and the ongoing research focus

Prunus

The book of “Prunus” contains chapters on breeding, germplasm, fruit tree physiology, and production of Prunus species, written by authors from different parts of the world. Prunus is one of the most important fruit genera widely spread according to the various climatic and soil conditions. This wide adaptability of the Prunus genus gives an opportunity for it to be grown in many parts of the world. In modern taxonomy, subgenera of Prunus such as Amygdalus, Cerasus, Laurocerasus, Lithocerasus, Padus and Prunus include many species among which Prunus persica L., Prunus domestica L., Prunus armeniaca L., Prunus avium L. are the main ones. Briefly, this book is on Prunus species, which is one of the main fruit and nursery plants grown in the world