2023/10/20 by P. Vaysse, V. Mathieu, Vaysse, Pierre +23
Agricultural and Biological Sciences · Engineering · #Algorithm #Algorithme #Analyse d’image #Apple #Chemical thinning #Image analysis #Mechanical thinning #Phenology #Phénologie #Plant Physiology and Cultivation Studies #Pommier #Tree Root and Stability Studies #Éclaircissage chimique #Éclaircissage mécanique
paper · doi:10.17180/3xf3-ne91
openalex publication_date 2023/10/20 · openalex created_date 2024/07/31 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/25
Chemical thinning appeared in the 1950s. It was perfected starting in the eighties, when the cost of labour and worldwide competition reduced the profitability of fruit-growing farms. Nowadays, growers have to cope with rising production costs and a declining turnover. Controlling the overall fruit load is necessary for an economically viable and sustainable orchard. The ban on carbaryl, the most widely used and most efficient thinning product for this use, and the will to integrate environment-friendly methods, have sparked a keen interest in mechanical thinning. Used independently with manual thinning, or in addition to chemical thinning, mechanical thinning is a promising technique, but difficult to implement. It is therefore essential that equipment for the mechanical thinning of flowers and fruits be linked to decision support tools. The ability to quickly assess the intensity of mechanical thinning, and thereby the remaining production potential, is an important asset. The integration of those data into the overall fruit load management will lead to additional chemical or manual intervention, if necessary, and thus improve the thinning strategy in apple orchards. The efficacy of mechanical thinning and its adequate combination with chemical intervention requires accurate and meaningful counts. The use of image analysis in determining the number of fruits represents a novel solution. It lifts the obstacles linked to the specific constraints of counting, and avoids operator-induced errors. Moreover, the speed and accuracy of this technique will show the efficiency of the thinning methods used, making thinning management more reliable.