Asparagus harvester
Asparagus harvesting machines - also known as asparagus harvesters when they are expanded accordingly - are harvesting devices for vegetable asparagus . Asparagus harvesting machines are available as self-propelled or rear-mounted machines that are operated on a tractor. There are two different methods of automatic asparagus harvesting: selective harvesting from individual stalks and non-selective harvesting.
Selective harvest
The asparagus spears are either harvested individually by a driver using a joystick and harvesting arm, or they are harvested fully automatically by the machine on three asparagus ridges thanks to camera recognition. To see where the asparagus is, the surface is scanned with a green laser. Then the harvesting arm can cut off the asparagus spear with an asparagus cutter, just like with manual work, pull it out independently and put it in a collecting basket that moves with it.
Non-selective harvest
The entire asparagus ridge is cut off together with all asparagus and transported upwards. The asparagus are separated from the earth on the machine. The earth converges at the rear of the machine, and the harvester leaves behind another asparagus dam. However, this harvesting method is controversial because, on the one hand, it does not differentiate between fully grown and too short asparagus and, on the other hand, it does not treat the roots as carefully for the following harvesting season as when harvesting by hand.
history
As early as the beginning of the twentieth century, in 1907, there were first attempts in the USA to harvest asparagus mechanically. Much research was undertaken, especially from the 1950s to the 1990s, and some patents were granted in the USA and Australia for selective and non-selective asparagus harvest, but none of the methods has prevailed or offers a price advantage to this day.
See also
Web links
Single receipts
- ↑ KIRPY asparagus harvester […] - on YouTube , published on October 28, 2012