Management Information Systems for Tree Fruit–2: Design of a Mango Harvest Forecast Engine
Spatially enabled yield forecasting is a key component of farm Management Information Systems (MISs) for broadacre grain production, enabling management decisions such as variable rate fertilization. However, such a capability has been lacking for soft (fleshy)-tree-fruit harvest load, with relevant...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2024-03-01
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| Series: | Horticulturae |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/10/3/301 |
| _version_ | 1797240766098046976 |
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| author | Hari Krishna Dhonju Thakur Bhattarai Marcelo H. Amaral Martina Matzner Kerry B. Walsh |
| author_facet | Hari Krishna Dhonju Thakur Bhattarai Marcelo H. Amaral Martina Matzner Kerry B. Walsh |
| author_sort | Hari Krishna Dhonju |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Spatially enabled yield forecasting is a key component of farm Management Information Systems (MISs) for broadacre grain production, enabling management decisions such as variable rate fertilization. However, such a capability has been lacking for soft (fleshy)-tree-fruit harvest load, with relevant tools for automated assessment having been developed only recently. Such tools include improved estimates of the heat units required for fruit maturation and in-field machine vision for flower and fruit count and fruit sizing. Feedback on the need for and issues in forecasting were documented. A mango ‘harvest forecast engine’ was designed for the forecasting of harvest timing and fruit load, to aid harvest management. Inputs include 15 min interval temperature data per orchard block, weekly manual or machine-vision-derived estimates of flowering, and preharvest manual or machine-vision-derived estimates of fruit load on an orchard block level across the farm. Outputs include predicted optimal harvest time and fruit load, on a per block and per week basis, to inform harvest scheduling. Use cases are provided, including forecast of the order of harvest of blocks within the orchard, management of harvest windows to match harvesting resources such as staff availability, and within block spatial allocation of resources, such as adequate placement of harvest field bin and frost fans. Design requirements for an effective harvest MIS software artefact incorporating the forecast engine are documented, including an integrated database supporting spatial query, data analysis, processing and mapping, an integrated geospatial database for managing of large spatial–temporal datasets, and use of dynamic web map services to enable rapid visualization of large datasets. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-24T18:12:39Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a59d69bae3f545c38fbac0a8b635b3d2 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2311-7524 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-24T18:12:39Z |
| publishDate | 2024-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Horticulturae |
| spelling | doaj.art-a59d69bae3f545c38fbac0a8b635b3d22024-03-27T13:44:32ZengMDPI AGHorticulturae2311-75242024-03-0110330110.3390/horticulturae10030301Management Information Systems for Tree Fruit–2: Design of a Mango Harvest Forecast EngineHari Krishna Dhonju0Thakur Bhattarai1Marcelo H. Amaral2Martina Matzner3Kerry B. Walsh4Institute of Future Farming Systems, Central Queensland University, Rockhampton, QLD 4701, AustraliaInstitute of Future Farming Systems, Central Queensland University, Rockhampton, QLD 4701, AustraliaInstitute of Future Farming Systems, Central Queensland University, Rockhampton, QLD 4701, AustraliaInstitute of Future Farming Systems, Central Queensland University, Rockhampton, QLD 4701, AustraliaInstitute of Future Farming Systems, Central Queensland University, Rockhampton, QLD 4701, AustraliaSpatially enabled yield forecasting is a key component of farm Management Information Systems (MISs) for broadacre grain production, enabling management decisions such as variable rate fertilization. However, such a capability has been lacking for soft (fleshy)-tree-fruit harvest load, with relevant tools for automated assessment having been developed only recently. Such tools include improved estimates of the heat units required for fruit maturation and in-field machine vision for flower and fruit count and fruit sizing. Feedback on the need for and issues in forecasting were documented. A mango ‘harvest forecast engine’ was designed for the forecasting of harvest timing and fruit load, to aid harvest management. Inputs include 15 min interval temperature data per orchard block, weekly manual or machine-vision-derived estimates of flowering, and preharvest manual or machine-vision-derived estimates of fruit load on an orchard block level across the farm. Outputs include predicted optimal harvest time and fruit load, on a per block and per week basis, to inform harvest scheduling. Use cases are provided, including forecast of the order of harvest of blocks within the orchard, management of harvest windows to match harvesting resources such as staff availability, and within block spatial allocation of resources, such as adequate placement of harvest field bin and frost fans. Design requirements for an effective harvest MIS software artefact incorporating the forecast engine are documented, including an integrated database supporting spatial query, data analysis, processing and mapping, an integrated geospatial database for managing of large spatial–temporal datasets, and use of dynamic web map services to enable rapid visualization of large datasets.https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/10/3/301estimationfruit loadgeospatial databaseorchardplanningprediction |
| spellingShingle | Hari Krishna Dhonju Thakur Bhattarai Marcelo H. Amaral Martina Matzner Kerry B. Walsh Management Information Systems for Tree Fruit–2: Design of a Mango Harvest Forecast Engine Horticulturae estimation fruit load geospatial database orchard planning prediction |
| title | Management Information Systems for Tree Fruit–2: Design of a Mango Harvest Forecast Engine |
| title_full | Management Information Systems for Tree Fruit–2: Design of a Mango Harvest Forecast Engine |
| title_fullStr | Management Information Systems for Tree Fruit–2: Design of a Mango Harvest Forecast Engine |
| title_full_unstemmed | Management Information Systems for Tree Fruit–2: Design of a Mango Harvest Forecast Engine |
| title_short | Management Information Systems for Tree Fruit–2: Design of a Mango Harvest Forecast Engine |
| title_sort | management information systems for tree fruit 2 design of a mango harvest forecast engine |
| topic | estimation fruit load geospatial database orchard planning prediction |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2311-7524/10/3/301 |
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