An evaluation method for camellia oleifera clones suitable for portable oscillation harvester

Abstract

The application discloses a clone evaluation method of fragrant flower oil tea suitable for portable oscillation harvesters, and belongs to the technical field of forest tree breeding. The method comprises the following steps: (1) test forest and to-be-tested plant selection; (2) plant pretreatment and preliminary screening: clones with an average high crown ratio of 1.1-2.8 are selected, and then subjected to slight pruning; (3) oscillation harvesting performance test: a portable oscillation harvester is used for testing, and the re-screening selection index is that the average fruit single-plant net picking rate is greater than 90% and the average flower bud falling rate is less than 8%; and (4) fruit setting rate verification: clones with an average fruit setting rate of more than 56% are finally determined as fragrant flower oil tea clones suitable for portable machine tool oscillation harvesting. Through the steps of test forest and to-be-tested plant selection, plant pretreatment and preliminary screening, oscillation harvesting performance test and fruit setting rate verification, excellent clones suitable for mechanical oscillation harvesting are evaluated, so that the fruit picking efficiency of fragrant flower oil tea is improved, the labor cost is reduced, and the quality and efficiency of the oil tea industry are effectively promoted.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of forest tree breeding technology, specifically relating to an evaluation method for Camellia oleifera clones adapted to portable vibratory harvesters. Background Technology

[0002] Camellia oleifera, an important woody oilseed tree species in my country, plays a vital role in ensuring national food and oil security. Traditional manual harvesting methods are inefficient and labor-intensive, hindering the industry's development. In recent years, fragrant Camellia oleifera has gained widespread attention due to its rapid growth and high yield; however, its fruits are smaller than traditional varieties, with a single fruit weighing only 8-15 grams, just 1 / 3 to 1 / 2 the weight of traditional varieties, making manual harvesting even more expensive.

[0003] Mechanized harvesting has become an important way to solve the problem of Camellia oleifera harvesting. Domestic scholars have developed several types of Camellia oleifera harvesting equipment, among which the portable vibrating harvester is flexible and convenient to operate, and is more suitable for mountainous environments, making it an ideal choice for solving the harvesting problem of fragrant Camellia oleifera. However, previous studies have found that not all fragrant Camellia oleifera clones are suitable for mechanical vibrating harvesting. Different clones have significant differences in their own characteristics, such as tree structure, and their responses to vibrating harvesting also differ. Existing research mainly focuses on improving harvesting equipment, while a systematic evaluation method for the suitability of clones for mechanical harvesting is still lacking. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To address the above problems, this invention provides an evaluation method for Camellia oleifera clones adapted to portable vibratory harvesters. Through the selection of experimental forests and test plants, plant pretreatment and initial screening, vibratory harvesting performance testing, and fruit setting rate verification, excellent clones suitable for mechanical vibratory harvesting are evaluated, thereby improving the fruit harvesting efficiency of Camellia oleifera, reducing labor costs, and effectively promoting the quality and efficiency improvement of the Camellia oleifera industry.

[0005] This invention is achieved through the following technical solution: A method for evaluating Camellia oleifera clones adapted to portable vibratory harvesters includes the following steps: (1) Selection of experimental forest and plants to be tested: A strong Camellia oleifera clone control forest was selected as the experimental forest. Plants with tree shape in near-natural growth state and tree height and crown width within ±1 standard deviation of the average tree height and average crown width of the clone were selected as the plants to be tested for the clone. (2) Plant pretreatment and initial screening: Calculate the height-to-crown ratio based on the tree height and crown width measured in step (1) of the plant to be tested, screen out clones with an average height-to-crown ratio of 1.1-2.8, and perform light pruning on the selected clones, mainly removing the weak branches in the lower layer of the crown that affect the operation of the harvester, and taking care to avoid fruiting branches; (3) Vibration harvesting performance test: In October, Camellia oleifera presents a scene of simultaneous flowering and fruiting. Fruits can be harvested in the same year, while fruits from flowers in October are harvested in the following year. It is more appropriate to conduct vibration harvesting performance test at this time.

[0006] Portable vibrating harvesters were used for testing within half a month before fruit ripening. The fruit harvesting rate and bud drop rate of each clone were statistically analyzed. The average fruit harvesting rate per plant for the clones selected in the second screening was required to be >90%, and the average bud drop rate was required to be <8%. (4) Fruit setting rate verification: In April of the following year, the number of fruits set in the selected clonal systems in step (3) was counted, the fruit setting rate was calculated, and the clonal systems with an average fruit setting rate of more than 56% were finally determined as the Camellia oleifera clonal systems suitable for portable machinery shaking harvesting.

[0007] Furthermore, in step (1), the comparative test forest is either a gentle slope forest or a flat forest.

[0008] Further, in step (1), 30-50 plants of each clone in the experimental forest are investigated in advance. Two to three weeks before harvest, the tree height and crown width of each clone are measured, and then the average tree height and average crown width of each clone are calculated.

[0009] Furthermore, in step (1), the number of plants to be tested for each clone should be no less than 15.

[0010] Further, in step (2), the high crown ratio is calculated as follows: high crown ratio = tree height / crown width.

[0011] Further, in step (3), the fruit harvesting rate and flower bud drop rate are tested simultaneously using a portable vibrating harvester. The clamp of the portable vibrating harvester is clamped on the main trunk or main branch of the selected clonal plant. The clamp amplitude is 55-60mm, the vibration frequency is 10-15HZ, the vibration operation time is fixed at 5-15s, and the fruit harvesting rate and flower bud drop rate are measured. The fruit collection rate is calculated as follows: Collect the fruits that fall off the tree and the fruits that do not fall off the tree separately and weigh them. According to the formula: Fruit collection rate = weight of fruits that fall off the tree / (weight of fruits that fall off the tree + weight of fruits that do not fall off the tree), calculate the fruit collection rate of each clone. The flower bud drop rate is calculated as follows: A standard branch is pre-established at each of the four cardinal directions (east, west, south, and north) on each selected clone. The number of flower buds on each standard branch is counted before and after vibration. The flower bud drop rate is calculated as: (Number of flower buds on the standard branch before vibration - Number of flower buds that did not fall) / Number of flower buds on the standard branch before vibration). Finally, the average flower bud drop rate for each clone is calculated. Furthermore, the clamping mechanism of the portable vibrating harvester can directly clamp the main stem of plants with a main stem height higher than 50cm, with the clamping height preferably 35-45cm from the ground; while for plants with a main stem height lower than 50cm, the main branch can be clamped, with the clamping position preferably 20-30cm from the base of the main branch.

[0012] Furthermore, the fruit harvesting rate and bud drop rate were statistically analyzed for 15 plants per clone.

[0013] Further, in step (4), the fruit setting rate is determined by setting one standard branch in each of the four directions (east, west, south, and north) for each selected clonal plant, and calculating the fruit setting rate as (number of fruits / number of flower buds that have not fallen), and then calculating the average fruit setting rate.

[0014] Compared with the prior art, the advantages and beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows: 1. This invention uses high crown ratio as a preliminary screening indicator, eliminating the need for large-scale mechanical harvesting trials across the entire forest, thus reducing the workload of breeding. Experiments have shown a highly significant positive correlation between high crown ratio and fruit harvesting rate (correlation coefficient). r =0.278、 P <0.01), and showed a significant negative correlation with the flower bud drop rate (correlation coefficient). r =-0.245、 P <0.05), meaning that the higher the crown height ratio, the higher the fruit harvesting rate and the lower the flower bud drop rate.

[0015] 2. This invention uses a portable vibrating harvester to test the fruit harvesting rate and flower bud drop rate within half a month before the fruit matures. This can more accurately determine the impact of the portable vibrating harvester on fruit vibration and flower bud drop, avoiding the error caused by the automatic drop of fruit during the ripening period.

[0016] 3. This invention, by fixing the machine parameters and using differentiated clamping and timed oscillation, most effectively stimulates the inertial shedding of Camellia oleifera fruits, while avoiding excessive damage to the tree. The harvest results are highly repeatable. The selected Camellia oleifera clones not only meet the requirements of high fruit removal rate in mechanized harvesting, but also take into account flower bud retention and stable yield in the following year, thus solving the problem of reduced yield in the following year due to severe flower drop in existing mechanical harvesting.

[0017] 4. The test of this invention focuses on the oscillation performance of asexual lines under near-natural conditions, which is suitable for the concept of simplified cultivation. It is designed in combination with the actual management status of camellia oleifera forests, reducing the requirements for manual pruning.

[0018] 5. The method of this invention can effectively screen out clonal Camellia oleifera lines suitable for portable vibrating harvesters, facilitating harvesting with vibrating harvesters and thus improving the harvesting efficiency of Camellia oleifera fruits. Compared with traditional manual harvesting, the harvesting efficiency can be increased by 40%, and the cost can be saved by 22%. The method of this invention has important practical significance for solving the harvesting problem of Camellia oleifera and promoting its widespread planting. Detailed Implementation

[0019] The present invention will be further described in detail below through embodiments. These embodiments are only used to illustrate the present invention and do not limit the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0020] Example 1: Pearson Correlation Analysis In October 2024, a portable vibratory harvester was used to conduct a vibration experiment on 94 Camellia oleifera trees that had entered their peak fruiting period. Fruit harvesting rate, bud drop rate, tree height, crown width, height-to-crown ratio, lateral fruit stalk binding force, and longitudinal fruit stalk binding force were measured. The correlation between these indicators was analyzed, and the results are as follows: Table 1 Pearson Correlation Analysis

[0021] Note: * Indicates significant correlation ( P <0.05), ** Indicates a highly significant correlation ( P <0.01) Table 1 shows that the fruit harvest rate was significantly negatively correlated with crown width and significantly positively correlated with crown height ratio; the flower bud drop rate was significantly negatively correlated with crown height ratio; tree height was significantly positively correlated with crown width, crown width was significantly negatively correlated with crown height ratio, and the transverse fruit stalk binding force was significantly positively correlated with the longitudinal fruit stalk binding force. Therefore, fruit harvest rate and flower bud drop rate were selected as important screening indicators.

[0022] Example 2 A method for evaluating Camellia oleifera clones adapted to portable vibratory harvesters includes the following steps: (1) Selection of experimental forest and plants to be tested: On October 8, 2025, a Camellia oleifera clone control forest planted in 2019 in Xingbin District, Laibin City was selected as the experimental forest (the experimental forest has entered the peak fruiting period). The forest land is flat. Ten Camellia oleifera clones with strong growth vigor in the forest land (named Test 1 to Test 10 respectively) were selected for testing. The tree shape of the clone plants was maintained in a near-natural growth state and basically no pruning was carried out.

[0023] Tree height and crown width were measured. At least 30 trees were measured for each clone. Tree height and crown width within the range of the average tree height and crown width of the clone were selected as the plants to be tested for that clone (no less than 15 trees).

[0024] (2) Plant pretreatment and initial screening: Based on the tree height and crown width measured in step (1), the height-to-crown ratio (height-to-crown ratio = tree height / crown width) of the 15 clones of the plants to be tested was calculated, as shown in Table 1.

[0025] Table 2. Statistics on the crown height ratio of 210 Camellia oleifera clones.

[0026] Clones with an average crown-to-height ratio of 1.1-2.8 were selected from Table 2. Three clones (Test 1, Test 2, and Test 6) were eliminated. The seven clones that were initially selected (Test 3, Test 4, Test 5, Test 7, Test 8, Test 9, and Test 10) were lightly pruned, mainly removing weak branches in the lower canopy that would affect the operation of the harvester, while avoiding fruiting branches.

[0027] (3) Vibration harvesting performance test: On October 28, a portable vibration harvester was used for testing. The fruit harvesting rate and flower bud drop rate were statistically analyzed, as shown in Tables 3 and 4.

[0028] The operating parameters of the portable vibratory harvester are as follows: clamp amplitude 56mm, vibration frequency 12Hz. The clamping position is determined according to the characteristics of the main stem of the clone. For plants with a main stem higher than 50cm, the main stem is clamped directly, with the clamping height 35-45cm from the ground. For plants with a main stem lower than 50cm, the main branch is clamped, with the clamping position 20-30cm from the base of the main branch. The vibration time of the main stem is 10-12s, and the operation time of each main branch is 5-7s. The fruit harvesting rate and flower bud drop rate are measured on a per-plant basis. 15 plants are measured for each selected clone, and the results are expressed as average values.

[0029] Method for determining flower bud drop rate: Set up a standard branch in each of the four directions of east, west, south and north for each plant. Count the number of flower buds on each standard branch before and after shaking. The number of flower buds on the standard branch before shaking is the total number of flower buds (n). The total number of flower buds on the standard branch after shaking is the number of flower buds that did not fall (n1). Flower bud drop rate (%) = (n-n1) / n) × 100%.

[0030] Fruit harvesting rate determination method: After shaking, collect the weight of the fruit that fell off the tree (m1) and the weight of the fruit that did not fall off the tree (m2). Fruit harvesting rate (%) = [m1 / (m1+m2)] × 100%.

[0031] Table 3. Statistics on the flower bud drop rate of the selected clones

[0032] Table 4. Statistics on fruit harvesting rate of selected clones

[0033] Based on the test results, two clones, Test 8 and Test 10, were selected according to the average fruit harvesting rate per plant >90% and the average flower bud drop rate <8%.

[0034] (4) Fruit setting rate verification: In early April 2026, the fruit setting rate of test line 8 and test line 10 was investigated. Each selected clonal plant was divided into four directions: east, west, south and north, with one standard branch set in each direction. The fruit setting rate was calculated as (number of fruits (n2) / number of flower buds that did not fall (n1)) × 100%, and then the average fruit setting rate was calculated.

[0035] Table 5. Fruit setting rate statistics of the selected clones

[0036] Based on the technical indicators of the clonal lines with an average fruit set rate of over 56%, the Camellia oleifera clones were finally determined to be suitable for portable machinery shaking harvesting. The fruit set rates of test 8 and test 10 were 65.19% and 56.64%, respectively, and they were finally determined to be Camellia oleifera clones suitable for portable machinery shaking harvesting.

[0037] Example 3 A method for evaluating Camellia oleifera clones adapted to portable vibratory harvesters includes the following steps: (1) Selection of experimental forest and plants to be tested: On October 20, 2025, a Camellia oleifera clone control forest planted in 2019 in Baihe Town, Hengzhou City was selected as the experimental forest (the experimental forest has entered the peak fruiting period). The forest land is flat. The trees are kept in a near-natural growth state, and only the lower branches are pruned every year. Eight Camellia oleifera clones with strong growth in the forest land (named as Test 2, Test 11-14 and Test 16-18 respectively) were selected for testing. Tree height and crown width were measured. 30 trees were measured for each clone. The trees with tree height and crown width within the range of the average tree height and crown width of the clone within ±1 standard deviation were selected as the plants to be tested for the clone. 15 plants were selected for testing for each clone.

[0038] (2) Plant pretreatment and initial screening: Based on the tree height and crown width measured in step (1), the height-to-crown ratio (height-to-crown ratio = tree height / crown width) of the eight clones of the plants to be tested was calculated, as shown in Table 6.

[0039] Table 68 statistical results on the crown height ratio of the tested plants from Camellia oleifera clones.

[0040] Clones with an average crown height ratio of 1.1-2.8 were selected from Table 6. One clone (Reference 2) was eliminated, and seven clones were selected: Reference 11, Reference 12, Reference 13, Reference 14, Reference 16, Reference 17, and Reference 18. The selected clones were pruned to remove weak branches in the lower canopy that would affect the operation of the harvester and to avoid fruiting branches.

[0041] (3) Vibration harvesting performance test: On November 3, a portable vibration harvester was used for testing. The fruit harvesting rate and flower bud drop rate were statistically analyzed, as shown in Tables 7 and 8.

[0042] The operating parameters of the portable vibratory harvester are as follows: clamp amplitude 56mm, vibration frequency 12Hz. The clamping position is determined according to the characteristics of the main stem of the clone. For plants with a main stem higher than 50cm, the main stem is clamped directly, with the clamping height 35-45cm from the ground. For plants with a main stem lower than 50cm, the main branch is clamped, with the clamping position 20-30cm from the base of the main branch. The vibration time of the main stem is 10-12s, and the operation time of each main branch is 5-7s. The fruit harvesting rate and flower bud drop rate are measured on a per-plant basis. 15 plants are measured for each selected clone, and the results are expressed as average values.

[0043] Method for determining flower bud drop rate: Set up a standard branch in each of the four directions of east, west, south and north for each plant. Count the number of flower buds on each standard branch before and after shaking. The number of flower buds on the standard branch before shaking is the total number of flower buds (n). The total number of flower buds on the standard branch after shaking is the number of flower buds that did not fall (n1). Flower bud drop rate (%) = (n-n1) / n) × 100%.

[0044] Fruit harvesting rate determination method: After shaking, collect the weight of the fruit that fell off the tree (m1) and the weight of the fruit that did not fall off the tree (m2). Fruit harvesting rate (%) = [m1 / (m1+m2)] × 100%.

[0045] Table 7. Statistics on the flower bud drop rate of the selected clones.

[0046] Table 8. Statistics on fruit harvesting rate of selected clones

[0047] Based on the test results, and according to the average fruit harvesting rate per plant >90% and the average flower bud drop rate <8%, three clones, namely, Test 14, Test 17 and Test 18, were selected.

[0048] (4) Fruit setting rate verification: In early April 2026, the fruit setting rate of the three selected clones was investigated. Each selected clone plant had one standard branch in each of the four directions (east, west, south, north) selected in step (3). The fruit setting rate was calculated as (number of fruits (n2) / number of flower buds that did not fall (n1)) × 100%, and then the average fruit setting rate was calculated.

[0049] Table 9. Fruit setting rate statistics of the selected clones

[0050] Based on the technical indicators of the clonal lines with an average fruit set rate of over 56%, the Camellia oleifera clones were finally determined to be suitable for portable machinery shaking harvesting. The fruit set rates of test lines 14, 17, and 18 were 56.32%, 60.03%, and 59.67%, respectively, and they were finally determined to be Camellia oleifera clones suitable for portable machinery shaking harvesting.

[0051] Example 4 In October 2025, a comparative experiment on harvesting costs was conducted on the clonal line of Camellia oleifera (reference 10) planted in Xingbin District, Laibin City in 2019, with a specified harvesting time of 1.5 hours. Experimental group: A portable vibratory harvester was used for harvesting, with 1 operator and 2 assistants.

[0052] The clamp has an amplitude of 56mm and a vibration frequency of 12Hz. The clamping position is determined according to the characteristics of the main stem of the clone. For plants with a main stem higher than 50cm, the main stem is clamped directly, with the clamping height 35-45cm from the ground. For plants with a main stem lower than 50cm, the main branch is clamped, with the clamping position 20-30cm from the base of the main branch. The vibration time of the main stem is 10-12s, and the operation time of each main branch is 5-7s.

[0053] Control group: Harvested manually by 3 people.

[0054] The amount of fresh fruit harvested and the labor costs for the two experimental groups were recorded in Table 10.

[0055] Table 10 Comparison of harvesting costs for different harvesting methods

[0056] As shown in Table 10, the portable vibrating harvester of this invention can effectively improve harvesting efficiency and save harvesting costs. Calculated based on the amount of fresh fruit harvested by 3 people in the same time period, the vibrating harvesting efficiency is 66.67% higher than manual harvesting; when calculated for the same weight of fresh fruit, vibrating harvesting saves 50% of the cost compared to manual harvesting.

[0057] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention and is not intended to limit the present invention. Any modifications, equivalent substitutions, etc., made within the spirit and principles of the present invention should be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A method for evaluating clonal Camellia oleifera lines adapted to portable vibrating harvesters, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: (1) Selection of experimental forest and plants to be tested: A strong Camellia oleifera clone control forest was selected as the experimental forest. Plants with tree shape in near-natural growth state and tree height and crown width within ±1 standard deviation of the average tree height and average crown width of the clone were selected as the plants to be tested for the clone. (2) Plant pretreatment and initial screening: Calculate the height-to-crown ratio based on the tree height and crown width measured in step (1) of the plant to be tested, screen out clones with an average height-to-crown ratio of 1.1-2.8, and perform light pruning on the selected clones, mainly removing the weak branches in the lower layer of the crown that affect the operation of the harvester, and taking care to avoid fruiting branches; (3) Vibration harvesting performance test: A portable vibration harvester was used to test the fruit harvesting rate and flower bud drop rate of each clone within half a month before the fruit ripens. The average fruit harvesting rate of the clones selected in the second screening was required to be >90%, and the average flower bud drop rate was required to be <8%. (4) Fruit setting rate verification: In April of the following year, the number of fruits set in the selected clonal systems in step (3) was counted, the fruit setting rate was calculated, and the clonal systems with an average fruit setting rate of more than 56% were finally determined as the Camellia oleifera clonal systems suitable for portable machinery shaking harvesting.

2. The method for evaluating the clonal line of Camellia oleifera adapted to a portable vibrating harvester according to claim 1, characterized in that, In step (1), the comparative test forest is either a gentle slope forest or a flat forest.

3. The method for evaluating the clonal line of Camellia oleifera adapted to a portable vibrating harvester according to claim 1, characterized in that, In step (1), 30-50 plants of each clone in the experimental forest are investigated in advance. Two to three weeks before harvest, the tree height and crown width of each clone are measured, and then the average tree height and average crown width of each clone are calculated.

4. The method for evaluating the clonal line of Camellia oleifera adapted to a portable vibrating harvester according to claim 1, characterized in that, In step (1), the number of plants to be tested for each clone should be no less than 15.

5. The method for evaluating the clonal line of Camellia oleifera adapted to a portable vibrating harvester according to claim 1, characterized in that, In step (2), the high crown ratio is calculated as follows: high crown ratio = tree height / crown width.

6. The method for evaluating the clonal line of Camellia oleifera adapted to a portable vibrating harvester according to claim 1, characterized in that, In step (3), the fruit harvesting rate and flower bud drop rate are tested simultaneously using a portable vibrating harvester. The clamp of the portable vibrating harvester is held on the main trunk or main branch of the selected clonal plant. The clamp amplitude is 55-60mm, the vibration frequency is 10-15HZ, and the vibration operation time is fixed at 5-15s. The fruit harvesting rate and flower bud drop rate are measured. The fruit collection rate is calculated as follows: Collect the fruits that fall off the tree and the fruits that do not fall off the tree separately and weigh them. According to the formula: Fruit collection rate = weight of fruits that fall off the tree / (weight of fruits that fall off the tree + weight of fruits that do not fall off the tree), calculate the fruit collection rate of each clone. The flower bud drop rate is calculated as follows: a standard branch is set in each of the four directions (east, west, south, and north) of each selected clone. The number of flower buds on each standard branch before and after the vibration operation is counted. The flower bud drop rate can be calculated by the formula: flower bud drop rate = (number of flower buds on the standard branch before vibration - number of flower buds that did not fall) / number of flower buds on the standard branch before vibration. Then, the average flower bud drop rate of each clone is calculated.

7. The method for evaluating the clonal line of Camellia oleifera adapted to a portable vibrating harvester according to claim 6, characterized in that, The portable vibrating harvester uses a clamping device to hold plants with a main stem higher than 50cm, directly clamping the main stem at a height of 35-45cm from the ground; while for plants with a main stem lower than 50cm, it clamps the main branch at a distance of 20-30cm from the base of the main branch.

8. The method for evaluating the clonal line of Camellia oleifera adapted to a portable vibrating harvester according to claim 1, characterized in that, The fruit harvesting rate and flower bud drop rate were statistically analyzed for 15 plants per clone.

9. The method for evaluating the clonal line of Camellia oleifera adapted to a portable vibrating harvester according to claim 1, characterized in that, In step (4), the fruit setting rate is determined by setting one standard branch in each of the four directions (east, west, south, and north) for each selected clonal plant, and calculating the fruit setting rate as (number of fruits / number of flower buds that have not fallen), and then calculating the average fruit setting rate.

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