A farming system (1) for row crop installations (10) comprises: a first plurality of plants (10A) and a second plurality of fruit or vegetable plants (10B), disposed along a first longitudinal axis (L1) and a second longitudinal axis (L2), respectively, and mutually spaced along a transverse direction (T) to form a first row (F1) and a second row (F2); a supporting structure (11), configured to support the plants and including, for the first row (F1) and the second row (F2), a first plurality of posts (11A) and a second plurality of posts (11B); a first rail (12A), connected to the first plurality of posts (11A); a second rail (12B), connected to the second plurality of posts (11B). The first rail (12A) and the second rail (12B) are oriented longitudinally and spaced transversely from each other to define a track (12). The system comprises a trolley (13), movable along the track (12) and including a movement actuator (131), configured to move the trolley (13) on the track (12).

A device including at least one motorized conveyor for conveying a flow of harvested crop between an upstream end and a downstream end of the conveyor along a longitudinal direction. The device further including at least one sensor that monitors a longitudinal inclination of the device relative to a nominal orientation of the device. The device computes a conveyor speed based on the monitored longitudinal inclination, the conveyor speed being adapted to maintain conveying kinematics of the harvested crop independent from the longitudinal inclination; and the device operates the motorized conveyor at the computed conveyor speed.

A device including at least one motorized conveyor for conveying a flow of harvested crop between an upstream end and a downstream end of the conveyor along a longitudinal direction. The device further including at least one sensor that monitors a longitudinal inclination of the device relative to a nominal orientation of the device. The device computes a conveyor speed based on the monitored longitudinal inclination, the conveyor speed being adapted to maintain conveying kinematics of the harvested crop independent from the longitudinal inclination; and the device operates the motorized conveyor at the computed conveyor speed.

Harvesting tools are disclosed which may comprise a gripper including a set of finger elements constructed and arranged to envelop a target object pertaining to agricultural produce, and a manipulator carriage configured to actuate the gripper during operation to grasp the target object. Related systems and methods are also disclosed.

A defoliating device (3) has at least two defoliating units (100, 200) which are located on the rear side of a common panel (7) of the device (3), the frontside surface of which panel faces a plant to be defoliated, , The panel (7) is provided with working openings (8, 9) or cut-outs, through which the defoliating units (100, 200), which are located on the rear side, act on the plants.The defoliating device (3) can be moved past the plants in a working direction, and where in each case two defoliating units (100, 200) having different ways of operating are arranged one behind the other in the working direction such that the units act sequentially on the plant region to be defoliated.

A defoliating device (3) has at least two defoliating units (100, 200) which are located on the rear side of a common panel (7) of the device (3), the frontside surface of which panel faces a plant to be defoliated, , The panel (7) is provided with working openings (8, 9) or cut-outs, through which the defoliating units (100, 200), which are located on the rear side, act on the plants.The defoliating device (3) can be moved past the plants in a working direction, and where in each case two defoliating units (100, 200) having different ways of operating are arranged one behind the other in the working direction such that the units act sequentially on the plant region to be defoliated.

A detection device for metal stakes in a wire-trained plant-crop hedge having at least one detector configured to generate a detection signal when it passes next to a metal stake of the hedge wherein the metal stake detector has a first and a second metal detector arranged for generating respectively a first and a second measurement signal when they pass next to one of the metal stakes of the hedge. The first and second metal detectors are mechanically secured to each other in movement and arranged for being spaced vertically relative to each other. The detection device has an electronic management unit for the detection signals, configured for, upon detection of a temporal offset between the maximum variation levels of the first and second measurement signals, generating a signal indicating an inclined state of the metal stake.

A harvesting head utilized with or incorporated into a mechanical harvesting machine for harvesting crops. The harvesting head has a frame that attaches to a frame member of the harvesting machine. The frame defines a harvesting area sized to receive the canopy of a tree or vine and supports a picking assembly and a motion inducing mechanism. The picking assembly comprises a pair of sub-structures having a forward post member, rearward post member, a connecting member connecting the two posts and a plurality of curvilinear rods, which also interconnect the posts, that extend into the harvesting area. The motion inducing mechanism is connected to and pivots the posts of the picking assembly so as to rapidly move the rods forward and backward to engage the canopy and dislodge the crop therefrom. A conveying assembly conveys the crop to a bin.

A harvesting head utilized with or incorporated into a mechanical harvesting machine for harvesting crops. The harvesting head has a frame that attaches to a frame member of the harvesting machine. The frame defines a harvesting area sized to receive the canopy of a tree or vine and supports a picking assembly and a motion inducing mechanism. The picking assembly comprises a pair of sub-structures having a forward post member, rearward post member, a connecting member connecting the two posts and a plurality of curvilinear rods, which also interconnect the posts, that extend into the harvesting area. The motion inducing mechanism is connected to and pivots the posts of the picking assembly so as to rapidly move the rods forward and backward to engage the canopy and dislodge the crop therefrom. A conveying assembly conveys the crop to a bin.

A row unit for a header of an agricultural harvester is provided. The row unit includes a frame, a first deck plate assembly mounted to the frame, and a second deck plate assembly mounted to the frame. The first and second deck plate assemblies each include a deck plate, a plurality of deck plate segments extending from the deck plate and moveable between a first position and a second position relative to the deck plate, and a plurality of biasing members for biasing each respective deck plate segment. The row unit includes both operator controlled macro adjustment and automatic micro adjustment of a gap between the first deck plate assembly and the second deck plate assembly. The micro adjustment is achieved through biasing members biasing each respective deck plate segment.