The 2009 ASHS Annual Conference

If the California black ripe table olive processing industry is to survive it must develop mechanical harvesters capable of efficiently and economically harvesting the unripe Olea europaea. Cv. ‘Manzanillo' that is oxidized in processing to become the crisp California “black ripe” table olive. These harvesters should be capable harvesting at least one acre per hour with a final fruit removal efficiency of 80%, produce fruit capable of being processed into commercially competitive product, and not cost more US$100.00 per short ton to operate. Weight is important as table olive orchards are irrigated immediately prior to harvest. Size is a concern as most orchards have row widths of no more than 7m trunk to trunk and 4.5m canopy widths. In 2008 a canopy contact picking head harvester, a trunk shaker, and over the row straddle harvester with dual canopy contact heads, were evaluated in commercial ‘Manzanillo' orchards. The canopy contact harvester produced a significantly lower, 88.0%*** canning percentage, and adjusted value per ton, $1013.80***, for mechanically harvested fruit, versus 96.2% and $1137.80 per ton for hand harvested olives. However, these canning percentages and values per ton are well within normal ranges. This indicates this canopy head can produce commercially acceptable fruit. The harvester averaged 57.8% final fruit removal efficiency. This prototype is also too slow, large and heavy for further commercial consideration. The trunk shaker produced canning percentages no lower than 91.5%, and adjusted fruit values over $872.55 per ton; both equal to that of hand harvested control fruit. Final harvest efficiencies ranged from 55.1 to 71.8%. The trunk shaker also produced unacceptable trunk ‘barking' damage. The straddle, over the row, harvester with dual vertical canopy contact heads was tested in 3m in-row spacing hedgerow orchards in Argentina and Portugal. The straddle harvester harvested 6-10 trees per minute with a final harvest efficiency of > 95%. Virtually 100% of the fruit was unacceptably bruised, mutilated or cut. This harvester is unacceptably large and heavy. Collectively, this data suggests independently powered, double sided continuous movement canopy contact picking head harvesters mounted on catch frames with bank out wagons have the best potential for efficient, acceptable mechanical harvesting of the immature ‘Manzanillo' olive that is processed into California's black ripe table olive. Our data also suggest tree training and pruning must proceed in tandem with harvester development