Vertically oriented modular systems and methods for horticulture using stackable, removable containers dimensioned according to the Fibonacci Sequence and configured to hold plants with or without sub-containers with roots wholly or partially submerged in aqueous nutrient solution for aerohydroponic growth with intake and outtake apertures and at least one conduit to deliver, air, and/or aqueous nutrient solution in fluid communication with other stacked containers, and adjustable baffling to control nutrient solution delivery. The containers are releasably divisible across the face of the container to promote removal, harvest and transplantation without disrupting or damaging plant roots. The containers can also be configured with sensors paired or connected to a computing system to monitor, measure, and store data related to monitoring plant growth. Mounting systems with container center of gravity below the mounting point for stability and automated track based systems for planting, monitoring, and lighting, and harvesting can also be used.

A header assembly for mounting upon a front end of a harvester combine's feeder house, the header assembly incorporating a central header which is adapted for fixed attachment to the feeder house front end; the header assembly further incorporating a lateral header and a pivot joint positioning an oppositely lateral end of the lateral header over the lateral end of the central header, the pivot joint being adapted for facilitating movements of the lateral header between a mowing position and a transport position, the lateral header cantilevering laterally over a crop edge upon pivoting to the mowing position and extending rearwardly upon counter-pivoting to the transport position.

Disclosed is a mowing method for compensatory growth of a desert plant Anabasis aphylla, falling into the field of plant mowing methods. The mowing method includes the following steps: step 1: mounting a frame body on movable equipment; step 2: driving the movable equipment to move a device to a working area; and step 3: intermittently operating the movable equipment to allow an area formed by a push plate I, baffle plates II and a push plate II to be exactly opposite to a suitable number of Anabasis aphylla. The present disclosure is to provide a mowing method for compensatory growth of a desert plant Anabasis aphylla to solve the technical problem, facilitating the mowing of Anabasis aphylla.

Disclosed is a mowing method for compensatory growth of a desert plant Anabasis aphylla, falling into the field of plant mowing methods. The mowing method includes the following steps: step 1: mounting a frame body on movable equipment; step 2: driving the movable equipment to move a device to a working area; and step 3: intermittently operating the movable equipment to allow an area formed by a push plate I, baffle plates II and a push plate II to be exactly opposite to a suitable number of Anabasis aphylla. The present disclosure is to provide a mowing method for compensatory growth of a desert plant Anabasis aphylla to solve the technical problem, facilitating the mowing of Anabasis aphylla.

A method for determining a density of a harvested material includes transmitting radar signals into the harvested material from a transmitting unit, receiving the radar signals reflected by the harvested material by a receiving unit, determining a permittivity of the harvested material as a function of the reflected radar signals via an evaluation unit, and determining the density of the harvested material as a function of the determined permittivity via a signal processing unit.

Systems and methods here may include a vehicle with automated subcomponents for harvesting delicate items such as berries. In some examples, the vehicle includes a targeting subcomponent and a harvesting subcomponent. In some examples, the targeting subcomponent utilizes multiple cameras to create three-dimensional maps of foliage and targets. In some examples, identifying targets may be done remotely from the harvesting machine, and target coordinates communicated to the harvesting machine for robotic harvesting.

Systems and methods here may include a vehicle with automated subcomponents for harvesting delicate items such as berries. In some examples, the vehicle includes a targeting subcomponent and a harvesting subcomponent. In some examples, the targeting subcomponent utilizes multiple cameras to create three-dimensional maps of foliage and targets. In some examples, identifying targets may be done remotely from the harvesting machine, and target coordinates communicated to the harvesting machine for robotic harvesting.

Method and apparatus for automated operations, such as pruning, harvesting, spraying and/or maintenance, on plants, and particularly plants with foliage having features on many length scales or a wide spectrum of length scales, such as female flower buds of the marijuana plant. The invention utilizes a convolutional neural network for image segmentation classification and/or the determination of features. The foliage is imaged stereoscopically to produce a three-dimensional surface image, a first neural network determines regions to be operated on, and a second neural network determines how an operation tool operates on the foliage. For pruning of resinous foliage the cutting tool is heated or cooled to avoid having the resins make the cutting tool inoperable.

The Multipurpose Leaf Crop Harvesting Apparatus and Processing Method will accomplish seven steps in one pass of the combine harvester. This apparatus and processing method harvests leaf crops and is configured to perform multiple processing operations, including fractionation of the leaf crop, leaf maceration, leaf sizing, elevating the leaf fraction to a transport vehicle, and stem conditioning, cutting and windrowing, in a single pass through the crop field. These steps are accomplished using a header unit, an adapter feeder macerator and a forage harvester vehicle, expeditiously removing the leaf fraction from the field. Following leaf fraction harvesting, the leaf fraction is processed by densification into forage feed products. The processed leaf fraction can be combined with other feeds to make up customized feed rations. The stem fraction is also processed. The present invention can also be used to harvest grass crops.

The Multipurpose Leaf Crop Harvesting Apparatus and Processing Method will accomplish seven steps in one pass of the combine harvester. This apparatus and processing method harvests leaf crops and is configured to perform multiple processing operations, including fractionation of the leaf crop, leaf maceration, leaf sizing, elevating the leaf fraction to a transport vehicle, and stem conditioning, cutting and windrowing, in a single pass through the crop field. These steps are accomplished using a header unit, an adapter feeder macerator and a forage harvester vehicle, expeditiously removing the leaf fraction from the field. Following leaf fraction harvesting, the leaf fraction is processed by densification into forage feed products. The processed leaf fraction can be combined with other feeds to make up customized feed rations. The stem fraction is also processed. The present invention can also be used to harvest grass crops.