A crop management apparatus for selectively severing plant items from a plurality of plants. The apparatus comprises: a sensor unit for sensing aspects of the plurality of plants and generating data indicative thereof; a control unit for processing the data to determine a location of a target plant item suitable for severing; a cutter unit comprising at least one selectively deployable cutter for severing the target plant item from its respective plant; and a prime mover for moving the sensor unit and the at least one selectively deployable cutter across the plurality of plants. The control unit outputs a control signal to deploy the at least one selectively deployable cutter at least in part based on the determined location of the target plant item. When the at least one selectively deployable cutter is in a deployed state, severance of the target plant item occurs at least in part based on movement of the prime mover.

A crop management apparatus for selectively severing plant items from a plurality of plants. The apparatus comprises: a sensor unit for sensing aspects of the plurality of plants and generating data indicative thereof; a control unit for processing the data to determine a location of a target plant item suitable for severing; a cutter unit comprising at least one selectively deployable cutter for severing the target plant item from its respective plant; and a prime mover for moving the sensor unit and the at least one selectively deployable cutter across the plurality of plants. The control unit outputs a control signal to deploy the at least one selectively deployable cutter at least in part based on the determined location of the target plant item. When the at least one selectively deployable cutter is in a deployed state, severance of the target plant item occurs at least in part based on movement of the prime mover.

Provided are a know-how information processing system, method and device with which it is possible to utilize advanced know-how which responds to changes in the surrounding environment. This know-how information processing system links action information and event information acquired at the same time or within a prescribed time period, records the same as a life log of a subject (operator), and outputs information in which the life log and environment information are associated with one another (know-how data) or information generated from the associated information (know-how content), as know-how information.

Provided are a know-how information processing system, method and device with which it is possible to utilize advanced know-how which responds to changes in the surrounding environment. This know-how information processing system links action information and event information acquired at the same time or within a prescribed time period, records the same as a life log of a subject (operator), and outputs information in which the life log and environment information are associated with one another (know-how data) or information generated from the associated information (know-how content), as know-how information.

A system acquiring data for phenotyping on a farm field where crops are bred. The device includes: an information storage unit storing farm field information, an imaging condition, and aerial images of the farm field linked with imaging condition; a classification unit classifying the aerial images into a plurality of image groups having different imaging altitude ranges on the basis of an imaging altitude included in the imaging condition; an image processing unit creating image-processed data from at least one of the image groups and imaging condition and analyzes a trait of in the farm field from the image-processed data; a visualization unit visualizing image-processed data obtained in the image processing unit; a processed information storage unit storing, as processed information, data obtained in the image processing unit and visualization unit; and an output unit outputting data obtained in the image processing unit and the visualization unit.

A system acquiring data for phenotyping on a farm field where crops are bred. The device includes: an information storage unit storing farm field information, an imaging condition, and aerial images of the farm field linked with imaging condition; a classification unit classifying the aerial images into a plurality of image groups having different imaging altitude ranges on the basis of an imaging altitude included in the imaging condition; an image processing unit creating image-processed data from at least one of the image groups and imaging condition and analyzes a trait of in the farm field from the image-processed data; a visualization unit visualizing image-processed data obtained in the image processing unit; a processed information storage unit storing, as processed information, data obtained in the image processing unit and visualization unit; and an output unit outputting data obtained in the image processing unit and the visualization unit.

A method of processing signals comprising: obtaining an electrical signal from one or more plant specimens; and processing said obtained electrical signal to generate plant data; wherein the plant data is data indicative of a characteristic of said one or more plant specimens, wherein said characteristic comprises at least one of: a measure of the health of said one or more plant specimens, a measure of the vitality of said one or more plant specimens, and a reaction to environmental changes of said one or more plant specimens.

A method of processing signals comprising: obtaining an electrical signal from one or more plant specimens; and processing said obtained electrical signal to generate plant data; wherein the plant data is data indicative of a characteristic of said one or more plant specimens, wherein said characteristic comprises at least one of: a measure of the health of said one or more plant specimens, a measure of the vitality of said one or more plant specimens, and a reaction to environmental changes of said one or more plant specimens.

Provided herein is a non plant-pathogenic strain that can stably exhibit a bacterial plant disease control effect at the actual site of crop production, and that can be safely used as a biopesticide against plant. A bacterial plant disease control agent using such a strain is also provided, among others. In the present invention, viable bacteria of a strain belonging to genus Mitsuaria, which was not known to have a control effect against bacterial plant disease, or a culture containing the viable bacteria of such a strain are used as an active component, and the invention provides bacterial plant disease control agents such as a vegetable wilt disease control agent, and a canker control agent.

Crops for human and animal consumption of many types are well known by their respective growers. Years of experience in the field provide the grower knowledge about a range of conditions that lead to the full spectrum of crop yields and crop quality, and each grower creates a store of knowledge which they can combine with the available measures of those conditions. This disclosure provides a method for indicating the onset of water stress in one or more plants located in a soil the roots of which are within the measurement zone of a soil moisture sensor located in the soil, by determining if there was no recorded water into soil event in the prior 24 hour period of a respective one 24 hour period; determining from representative data whether there are two respective 24 hour periods of the prior seven consecutive 24 hour periods also have evapotranspiration values within a predetermined range; determining from representative data the rate of soil moisture depletion during the plant moisture uptake period within each respective 24 hour period adjusted for drainage; determining whether the rate of soil moisture depletion during the plant moisture uptake period within each respective 24 hour period reduces by a pre-determined level compared to the other of the respective 24 hour period; and indicating the most recent of the respective two 24 hour periods as a period of water stress of the one or more plants.