An organic material and plant vine chopper assembly has two plant vine chopper rotor drum assemblies that chop plant vines and other organic material. Each rotor drum assembly has a plurality of rotor rings each ring having a plurality of angled blades that effectively cooperate with each other to guard each blade and the drum against the wrapping of clogging fibrous strands and other clogging material around the drum. Each chopper rotor drum assembly incorporates a plurality of rotor rings spaced along and encircling and attached to a main drum tube and distributed in a cutting zone along and surrounding the longitudinal rotational axis of the drum tube with each rotor ring having a pair or a plurality of pairs of cutting blades attached to respective alternately angled mounting tabs that alternate to the left and to the right to the general plane of the rotor ring.

Some embodiments are related to a system for estimating a harvest volume in a vineyard operation organized into rows of vine stocks, including: a photographic device for capturing a photographic image of a set of stocks when the system passes between two rows of the vineyard operation; a device for measuring a distance between the vine stocks and the photographic device; and a calculator for detecting the berries within the photographic image, determining a number of berries in a bunch, determining a number of bunches on a stock, and determining an indicator of the volume depending on the number of berries in a bunch, the number of bunches on a stock and the diameter of the berries determined from the photographic image and the distance measurement.

Some embodiments are related to a system for estimating a harvest volume in a vineyard operation organized into rows of vine stocks, including: a photographic device for capturing a photographic image of a set of stocks when the system passes between two rows of the vineyard operation; a device for measuring a distance between the vine stocks and the photographic device; and a calculator for detecting the berries within the photographic image, determining a number of berries in a bunch, determining a number of bunches on a stock, and determining an indicator of the volume depending on the number of berries in a bunch, the number of bunches on a stock and the diameter of the berries determined from the photographic image and the distance measurement.

The present invention provides a novel method of manufacturing germinated plant seeds suitable for producing a large amount of phytoalexin, a method of manufacturing raw material seeds for germination induction for use in manufacture of the above germinated plant seeds, an extract composition of the germinated plant seeds and a screening method for a plant seed candidate for use in producing a target substance. The method of manufacturing raw material seeds for germination induction comprises a pre-treatment step of maintaining plant seeds under atmosphere conditions of a carbon dioxide concentration of 400 ppm or more and/or an oxygen concentration of 19 vol % or less continuously for 5 hours or more.

The present invention provides a novel method of manufacturing germinated plant seeds suitable for producing a large amount of phytoalexin, a method of manufacturing raw material seeds for germination induction for use in manufacture of the above germinated plant seeds, an extract composition of the germinated plant seeds and a screening method for a plant seed candidate for use in producing a target substance. The method of manufacturing raw material seeds for germination induction comprises a pre-treatment step of maintaining plant seeds under atmosphere conditions of a carbon dioxide concentration of 400 ppm or more and/or an oxygen concentration of 19 vol % or less continuously for 5 hours or more.

In some embodiments, a method for managing growing vine in a vineyard includes operating one or more unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) to fly over a plurality of sections of a vineyard. The UAVs are fitted with a plurality of cameras equipped to generate images in a plurality of spectrums. The plurality of sections of the vineyard grow vines of a plurality of varietals. The method further includes taking a plurality of aerial images of the sections of the vineyard in the plurality of spectrums, using the plurality of cameras, while the UAVs are flying over the plurality of sections of the vineyard, and executing an analyzer on a computing system to machine analyze the plurality of aerial images for anomalies associated with growing the vines of the plurality of varietals. The machine analysis takes into consideration topological information of the vineyard, as well as current planting information of the vineyard.

In some embodiments, a method for managing growing vine in a vineyard includes operating one or more unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) to fly over a plurality of sections of a vineyard. The UAVs are fitted with a plurality of cameras equipped to generate images in a plurality of spectrums. The plurality of sections of the vineyard grow vines of a plurality of varietals. The method further includes taking a plurality of aerial images of the sections of the vineyard in the plurality of spectrums, using the plurality of cameras, while the UAVs are flying over the plurality of sections of the vineyard, and executing an analyzer on a computing system to machine analyze the plurality of aerial images for anomalies associated with growing the vines of the plurality of varietals. The machine analysis takes into consideration topological information of the vineyard, as well as current planting information of the vineyard.

A system for automating the growing of crops, such as grapevines. Combinations of data from sensors local to a vineyard, and from optional remote stations and sensors, is combined with a control system to accurately control the dispensing of water and chemicals such as insecticides, disease prevention fungicides and fertilizers. The materials are dispensed through a multiple channel conduit which allows conflicting, or incompatible, types of materials to be transported through a common assembly. Sensors are attached to the conduit so that the placement of sensors can occur simultaneously with the laying of the conduit. This approach also ensures correct placement and spacing of the sensors with respect to each plant, or plant area, to be monitored and treated.

A system for automating the growing of crops, such as grapevines. Combinations of data from sensors local to a vineyard, and from optional remote stations and sensors, is combined with a control system to accurately control the dispensing of water and chemicals such as insecticides, disease prevention fungicides and fertilizers. The materials are dispensed through a multiple channel conduit which allows conflicting, or incompatible, types of materials to be transported through a common assembly. Sensors are attached to the conduit so that the placement of sensors can occur simultaneously with the laying of the conduit. This approach also ensures correct placement and spacing of the sensors with respect to each plant, or plant area, to be monitored and treated.

A method is provided for applying porous carbonaceous particles to soil for purpose of cultivating plants having roots, where at least 95% of the porous carbonaceous particles have a particle size less than or equal to 10 mm. The method incorporates the porous carbonaceous particles into the soil surrounding the plant roots at a depth of between 0-24 inches from the soil surface, where the porous carbonaceous particles are positioned in the area surrounding the roots of the plants at a ratio of between 1:999 to 1:1 porous carbonaceous particles to soil.