Automated Yield Monitoring System
Introduction
Yield monitoring, the process of determining the harvested product over a given area, is the most important cornerstone of precision agriculture (PA). Instantaneous yield monitors were developed in 1980 having a system to measure the yield and location in the field. Yield monitors allow producers to assess the effects of soil variability, and management practices on the crop yield. The yield monitors are intended to provide the user an accurate assessment of how yields vary within a field. Growers constantly strive to increase the profitability of their operations by minimizing costs of production or increasing crop yield. Precision agriculture is a knowledge-based management system that can empower producers to apply accurate management practices based on variability in fruit yield. An automated yield monitoring system (AYMS) using digital photography technique was developed in Precision Agriculture Laboratory, Engineering Department, NSAC. AYMS consists of a digital camera, custom software, laptop, and DGPS was developed to map fruit yield on-the-go.
Objectives
AYMS using digital photography technique has been used to measure and map fruit yield real-time in wild blueberry field. Recent work has produced GIS mapping which shows the fruit yield variability in kg/ha throughout a wild blueberry field. A prescription map for the site-specific application of agrochemicals can be generated based on the variation in fruit yield. Yield maps along with the fertility and topographic maps can be used for site-specific fertilization to improve farm profitability and mitigate environmental risks.
Researchers
Dr. Qamar Zaman, Professor, Engineering Department, Dalhousie Agricultural Campus
Dr. Arnold Schumann, Associate Professor, Citrus Research and Education Centre, University of Florida, USA
Dr. Young Ki Chang, Assistant Professor, Engineering Department, Dalhousie Agricultural Campus
Aitazaz Farooque, Assistant Professor, Design and Sustainable Engineering, University of Prince Edward Island
Travis Esau (Graduate Student)
Scott Read (Senior Instructor)
Partners
This research was funded by Oxford Frozen Foods Limited, Agri-Futures (ACAAF) Nova Scotia, Wild Blueberry Producers Association of Nova Scotia and Department of Agriculture Technology Development Program, Canadian Foundation for Innovation, NS Growing Forward, Department of Agriculture.
