Precision Horticulture

Precision horticulture is the term for the use of advanced horticultural management systems based on a spatial information platform. 

 

Our research concentrates on:

  • Development of spatial information tools
  • High powered analytical tools based on spatial information
  • GPS tracking of assets, people
  • GPS mapping
  • Remote sensing tools (e.g. satellite and hyperspectral image analysis)
  • Development of proximal sensing tools (e.g. image processing based sensors)
  • Sensor fusion with a range of sensors (e.g. NIR, temperature, soil EM)
  • Product tracking
  • New data capture tools in the field

List of Projects:

 

- Orchard Navigation
- Kiwifruit Counting
- Kiwifruit Canopy Analysis
- Kiwifruit Temperature Monitoring
- CART - Cumulative Agrichemical Residue Tracking
- Grape Canopy Sensing
- Grape Yield Mapping
- Supply Chain Information Management Systems
- Product Quality and Yield Mapping

 

Publications:

 

Applied Information Management Systems. Conference Proceedings from Achieving change through improved knowledge systems, p.281-288, published by the Centre for Agricultural and Veterinary Continuing Education, Massey University, 2000.

Agricultural supply system traceability – Part A: role of packhouses and effects of fruit mixing.  Biosystems Engineering, submitted, 2006.

Agricultural supply system traceability – Part B: implications of packhouse processing transformations. Biosystems Engineering, submitted, 2006.

Technological innovations in sensors for assessment of postharvest mechanical handling systems. International Journal of Postharvest Technology and Innovation, Vol.1, No.1, 2006.

Traceability in postharvest quality management. International Journal of Postharvest Technology and Innovation, Vol.1, No.1, 2006.

Delivering on the Promise – The Contribution of Horticultural Supply Chain Information Systems and Traceability.  Australasian Postharvest Conference, Rotorua, NZ.  Invited Presentation, 2005.

Technological Innovations in Sensors for Assessment of Postharvest Mechanical Handling Systems. Proceedings of the Postharvest Technology & Quality Management in Arid Topics, Oman. Invited Presentation, 2005.

Traceability in Fresh Produce Supply Chains. Proceedings of the International Conference Postharvest Unlimited Downunder, Acta Hort. No. 687, 279-288, 2004.

Logistics in Supply Chains for Fresh Produce. APEC Symposium on Quality Management in Postharvest Systems, Bangkok, Thailand.  Invited Presentation,  August 3-5, 2004.

Information Management for Apple Quality in the Supply Chain.  Quality In Chains - An Integrated View on Fruit and Vegetable Quality. Third International and Multidisciplinary Conference,  Wageningen, 6-9 July, 2003.

Using Supply Chain Information: Mapping Pipfruit and Kiwifruit Quality.Quality In Chains - An Integrated View on Fruit and Vegetable Quality.  Third International and Multidisciplinary Conference.  Wageningen, 6-9 July, 2003.

Real time performance measurement: gathering the knowledge to make smart decisions. First Trans-Tasman Berryfruit Conference, Auckland, NZ.  Invited Presentation, 2003.

Relation of Individual Forces on Apples and Bruising during Orchard Transport of Bulk Bins. Applied Engineering in Agriculture. 17(2), 193-200, 2001.

A Descriptor for Damage Susceptibility of a Population of Produce.  JAER 78(4), 391 – 395, 2001.

Monitoring canopy development with the tools of precision viticulture. Proceedings of 12th Annual Romeo Bragato Conference, Queenstown, NZ, August 2006.

Characterising spatial variation in quality.  Kiwi 2006 – 6th International Kiwifruit Symposium, Rotorua, February 2006.

 

New approaches to the management of vineyard variability in New Zealand. The 12th Australian Wine Industry Technical Conference Workshop 30B - Managing vineyard variation (Precision Viticulture), 2004.

 

Development of assessment tools for management of perennial trellised crops.  Australian Centre for Precision Agriculture Conference, 2004.

 

Bottling good information: mixing tradition and technology in vineyards. FRUTIC 05, Information and technology for sustainable fruit and vegetable production conference, p.719-736. Montpellier, France, Sep 2005.

 

New approaches to the management of vineyard variability in New Zealand. The 12th Australian Wine Industry Technical Conference Workshop 30B - Managing vineyard variation (Precision Viticulture), 2004.

 

Drift hazard assessment using CART – Cumulative Agrichemical Residue Tracking. International conference on pesticide application for drift management, Hawaii, 2004.

 

CART – Cumulative Agrichemical Residue Tracking.   International Conference on Environmental Friendly Spray Application Techniques, Warsaw, Poland, 2004.

 

Fruit Counting Development. Zespri Taste the Future Conference, Tauranga New Zealand, 2004.

 

Precision Horticulture: Progress, opportunities and requirements in the supply chain. In Proceedings of the Geospatial Information & Agriculture Conference, p.197-203, July 2001.