Cultivation shelf, cultivation system, and cultivation method of fruit vegetables

Abstract

To provide a cultivation shelf and a cultivation method of fruit vegetables which can lighten workload.SOLUTION: A cultivation shelf 1 of fruit vegetables comprises: culture medium 41, 42 in which a plurality of plants of fruit vegetables are planted along a first direction; extension parts 33, 34 extending along the first direction; training wires 51, 52 which are arranged above the extension parts 33, 34, extend along the first direction; clips 61, 62, 63 which fix upper parts of stems 201, 301, 401 extending from the plant 101 to the training wires 51, 52; and a plurality of training rods 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78 which are attached to the extension parts 33, 34 and extend in a second direction crossing the first direction, and the stems 201, 301, 401 extending from the plant 101 pass a lower part of at least one training rod and extend diagonally upward while using the training rod as a fulcrum.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] One aspect of the present invention relates to a cultivation shelf, a cultivation system, and a cultivation method for fruit and vegetables. [Background technology]

[0002] Cultivation methods for fruit-bearing vegetables such as tomatoes and cucumbers include pinching cultivation, in which the growing point is pinched to limit the growth range and harvest, as well as vine cultivation, in which the growing stems are continuously trained as they grow while maintaining the growing point and harvesting is carried out (see, for example, Patent Document 1). Known vine cultivation methods include vertical training, in which the stems are trained vertically, and oblique training, in which the stems are trained diagonally. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6590998 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] When the above-mentioned oblique training is performed, the fruit and stem are separated, making it easier to identify the fruit and facilitating harvesting. On the other hand, while the above-mentioned vertical training requires only one clip (one at the top) to secure the stem in a specific direction, oblique training requires the stem not only to hang downward but also to extend in a specific oblique direction, so two or more clips are required to secure the stem, one at the top and one at the bottom, making the clip attachment process more complicated. In particular, when cultivating fruit vegetables, whose stems grow quickly, the position of at least two clips must be changed frequently (e.g., daily), which is thought to increase the workload.

[0005] The present disclosure has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned circumstances, and aims to provide a cultivation shelf and cultivation method for fruit and vegetables that can reduce the workload. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A fruit and vegetable cultivation shelf according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises a culture medium section in which a plurality of fruit and vegetable plants are planted along a first direction, an extension section extending along the first direction, an attracting member positioned above the extension section, a fixing section for fixing the upper portions of stems extending from the plants to the attracting member, and a plurality of attracting supports attached to the extension section and extending in a second direction intersecting the first direction, wherein the stems extending from the plants pass through the lower portion of at least one of the attracting supports and extend diagonally upward with the attracting support as a fulcrum.

[0007] In a fruit and vegetable cultivation shelf according to one embodiment of the present invention, the stems extending from the plants are guided diagonally upward through the guide support, passing through the lower part of the guide support and extending diagonally upward, with the upper part of the stem fixed to the guide member by a fixing part. With this configuration, the lower part of the stem is fixed in position by passing through the guide support, eliminating the need to fix the lower part of the stem with a clip or other fastener. In other words, in a fruit and vegetable cultivation shelf according to one embodiment of the present invention, while the conventional method of guided cultivation requires fixing the stem at two points, top and bottom, the upper part of the stem can be fixed at only one point, the upper part, thereby reducing the workload. For example, when changing the position of the upper fixing part to accommodate the growth of the stem, the lower part of the stem can be fixed simply by changing the guide support through which the stem passes in accordance with the change in the position of the fixing part. This significantly reduces the workload compared to changing the fixing position of the lower part of the stem using a clip or other fastener.

[0008] The guide pole may be configured so that, when attached to the extension, it can move up and down around the part attached to the extension as a fulcrum. With this configuration, for example, when releasing the fixed state of the stem, the guide pole can be moved upward to smoothly move the stem, and when it is desired to properly fix the stem, the guide pole can be moved downward to firmly fix the stem. In other words, by making the guide pole movable up and down, the workload can be further reduced.

[0009] The guide pole may be configured to be detachable from the extension portion. With this configuration, the guide pole can be installed only when necessary, further reducing the workload.

[0010] The fruit vegetables grown on the cultivation shelves may be cucumbers. Cucumbers have a high rate of stem elongation per day (for example, considering the disclosures of "Kato Kaori and Takahashi Noboru (2005) Pruning Method for Cucumber Hanging Cultivation" and "Haeishi Shigetada and Ishihara Yoshiyuki (2006) Characteristics of the High-Wire Pruning Method for Tomato Forcing Cultivation," the daily rate is approximately 1.9 times that of tomatoes in greenhouse forcing cultivation environments), and the stem fixing device must be moved daily. In this regard, in a configuration according to one embodiment of the present invention, the stem position can be fixed by simply changing the support pole through which the stem passes during oblique training, thereby reducing the workload associated with frequently changing the stem fixing position. In other words, the configuration according to one embodiment of the present invention can effectively reduce the workload associated with harvesting cucumbers, which have a high rate of stem elongation.

[0011] A cultivation system according to one aspect of the present invention includes the above-described cultivation shelves for fruit vegetables and a robot that distinguishes between and recognizes the fruits and stems of fruit vegetables and harvests the fruits. This cultivation system further reduces the workload by using a robot that distinguishes between the fruits and stems and properly harvests the fruits. Furthermore, this cultivation system employs the above-described cultivation shelves, which can reduce the workload even when using oblique training. Therefore, oblique training, which separates the fruits and stems from each other and makes them easier to distinguish (oblique training that allows the robot to harvest with high precision), can be actively adopted, thereby improving work efficiency.

[0012] A cultivation method according to one aspect of the present invention is a cultivation method using the above-described fruit and vegetable cultivation shelves, in which a plurality of training supports are provided at predetermined intervals along a first direction, and includes the following steps: a first step of determining whether a change in the fixing position of a stem extending from a plant is necessary based on the degree of growth of the stem; a second step of moving the fixing position of the upper part of the stem by the fixing unit in a direction away from the plant if a change in the fixing position is necessary; and a third step of changing the training support serving as the fulcrum to a training support positioned further away from the plant than the current position, in accordance with the change in the position of the fixing unit in the second step. In this cultivation method according to one aspect of the present invention, the fixing position of the fixing unit is changed in accordance with the degree of growth of the stem, and the training support serving as the fulcrum (the fulcrum for diagonally upward growth) of the stem is changed in accordance with the change in the fixing position by the fixing unit. With this configuration, when changing the fixing position in accordance with the degree of growth of the stem, the fixing position of the lower part of the stem can be changed by the simple operation of simply changing the training support through which the stem passes, thereby significantly reducing the workload. [Effects of the Invention]

[0013] According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a cultivation shelf, cultivation system, and cultivation method for fruit and vegetables that can reduce the workload. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0014] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a diagram schematically showing a cultivation shelf for fruit vegetables according to this embodiment. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the difference between vertical attraction and oblique attraction. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a graph showing the results of a cucumber yield survey. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating harvesting using a cucumber harvesting robot. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a stem receiving portion according to a modified example. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a stem receiving portion according to a modified example. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a stem receiving portion according to a modified example. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a stem receiving portion according to a modified example. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a stem receiving portion according to a modified example. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating a stem receiving portion according to a modified example. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0015] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the description of the drawings, the same or equivalent elements are designated by the same reference numerals, and redundant description will be omitted.

[0016] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a schematic diagram of a cultivation shelf 1 for fruit vegetables according to this embodiment. Here, an example in which the fruit vegetables are cucumbers will be described, but the fruit vegetables are not limited to this and may be other vegetables. The cultivation shelf 1 cultivates cucumbers using a hanging cultivation method. Hanging cultivation is a cultivation method in which the stems are continuously trained as they grow while maintaining the growing point, and then harvested. Types of hanging cultivation include vertical training and oblique training.

[0017] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the difference between vertical training and oblique training. The stem 801 shown in FIG. 2 is trained by vertical training. In vertical training, the upper part of the stem 801 extending from the plant 105 is fixed to the training wire 51 (training member) by a clip 561 (fixing part). The stem 801 is fixed only at the upper part, and hangs downward due to gravity. Multiple leaves 802 and multiple fruits 803 grow laterally on the stem 801. As shown in FIG. 2, in vertical training, the stem 801 and the fruit 803 both grow vertically downward due to gravity, making them difficult to separate from each other. Therefore, when harvesting the fruit 803, it becomes difficult to distinguish between the stem 801 and the fruit 803, which may reduce workability. As an example of vertical training, as shown in Figure 2, a stem 901 extending from the plant 106 may be fixed with a clip 562 to a training string 580 hanging vertically from the training wire 51. A plurality of leaves 902 and a plurality of fruits 903 grow laterally on the stem 901.

[0018] In oblique training, the upper part of the stem 1001 extending from the stump 107 is fixed to the attracting wire 51 with a clip 563. In addition to the upper part, the lower part of the stem 1001 is fixed to the extension part 33 with a clip 661. The extension part 33 is a part that extends below the stump 107 and is approximately parallel to the attracting wire 51. The stem 1001 extends obliquely upward from the part fixed to the extension part 33 with the clip 661 as a base point, and its upper part is fixed to the attracting wire 51 with a clip 563. Multiple leaves 1002 and multiple fruits 1003 grow laterally on the stem 1001. As shown in FIG. 2 , in oblique training, the fruit 1003 grows vertically downward due to gravity, but the stem 1001 fixed to the clips 563 and 661 grows obliquely, making the fruit 1003 easily detached from the stem 1001. Therefore, when harvesting the fruit 1003, it is easier to distinguish between the stem 1001 and the fruit 1003, improving workability. Furthermore, because the harvest position (the position of the fruit) is lowered with oblique training, even short workers can easily harvest. Furthermore, with oblique training, the stem 1001 is longer than with vertical training, allowing for a greater number of leaves and therefore a higher yield. Figure 3 is a graph showing the results of a cucumber yield survey. The yield survey shown in Figure 3 revealed that oblique training is more advantageous than vertical training in terms of total yield (kg) per plant over 10 days. In the example shown in Figure 3, the total yield per plant was 0.85 kg with vertical training and 1.05 kg with oblique training. Note that oblique training may also be performed by clipping the stem to a training string (not shown) hanging vertically from the training wire 51 (Figure 2 only shows the configuration in which the stem is directly clipped to the training wire 51).

[0019] Although oblique training offers advantages over vertical training, it requires clipping at least two points, one above the other, which increases the workload required to secure the stem. While vertical training requires only one clip (only the upper clip 561) to secure the stem 801, oblique training requires the stem 901 to not only hang downward but also extend in a specific diagonal direction, requiring at least two clips (upper clip 562 and lower clip 661) to secure the stem 901. This complicates the clipping process. In particular, when cultivating fruit vegetables such as cucumbers, whose stems grow quickly, the positions of at least two clips 562 and 661 must be changed frequently (e.g., daily), potentially increasing the workload.

[0020] The cultivation shelf 1 according to this embodiment employs diagonal training, which has many advantages over vertical training, while reducing the workload associated with fixing stems, which is a problem with diagonal training. Returning to FIG. 1, the details of the cultivation shelf 1 will now be described. In the cultivation shelf 1 shown in FIG. 1, stems are fixed on the training wire 51 with clips 561. Note that components such as stem holders are omitted from FIG. 1.

[0021] As shown in Figure 1, the cultivation shelf 1 for fruit vegetables (here, cucumbers) includes supports 11, 12, 13, 14, mounting portions 21, 22, installation portions 31, 32, extension portions 33, 34, holding portions 35, 36, culture medium 41, 42 (culture medium portion), attraction wires 51, 52 (attraction members), clips 61, 62 (fixing portions), and attraction supports 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78.

[0022] The supports 11, 12, 13, and 14 are portions that extend in the vertical direction. The supports 11 and 13 face each other in a first direction. The supports 12 and 14 face each other in the first direction. The supports 11 and 12 face each other in a direction perpendicular to the first direction. The supports 13 and 14 face each other in a direction perpendicular to the first direction. The supports 11, 12, 13, and 14 extend in the vertical direction, for example, at the four corners of the cultivation shelf 1.

[0023] The installation section 31 extends in the first direction so as to bridge between the supports 11 and 13. The installation section 32 extends in the first direction so as to bridge between the supports 13 and 14. The installation sections 31 and 32 are installed on an installation surface. The mounting section 21 extends in a direction perpendicular to the first direction above the installation sections 31 and 32 so as to bridge between the supports 11 and 12. The mounting section 21 is fixed to the supports 11 and 12. The mounting section 22 extends in a direction perpendicular to the first direction above the installation sections 31 and 32 so as to bridge between the supports 13 and 14. The mounting section 22 is fixed to the supports 13 and 14.

[0024] The extending portion 33 extends in the first direction on the mounting portions 21 and 22 so as to bridge between the support posts 11 and 13. The extending portion 33 is fixed, for example, to the support posts 11 and 13 and the mounting portions 21 and 22. The extending portion 34 extends in the first direction on the mounting portions 21 and 22 so as to bridge between the support posts 12 and 14. The extending portion 34 is fixed, for example, to the support posts 12 and 14 and the mounting portions 21 and 22. The holding portions 35 and 36 extend in the first direction at positions sandwiched between the extending portions 33 and 34 so as to bridge between the mounting portions 21 and 22. The holding portions 35 and 36 are fixed, for example, to the mounting portions 21 and 22.

[0025] The attracting wire 51 is positioned above the extension portion 33, specifically above the supports 11 and 13, and extends along the first direction. The attracting wire 52 is positioned above the extension portion 34, specifically above the supports 12 and 14, and extends along the first direction. The attracting wires 51 and 52 are members for fixing the upper parts of the stems with clips (details will be described later). Note that the attracting wire (attracting member) does not necessarily have to extend in the first direction as long as it can clip the upper parts of the stems, and may extend in various directions (e.g., vertically) intersecting the first direction. Note that the attracting member may be composed of the attracting wires 51 and 52 described above, or may be composed of an attracting wire and an attracting string hanging vertically from the attracting wire, or may be composed of an attracting string alone.

[0026] The guidance supports 71, 72, 73, and 74 are attached to the extension portion 33 and extend in a second direction intersecting the first direction. The second direction here may be a direction perpendicular to the first direction or a direction intersecting the first direction other than perpendicular, and is outward from the extension portion 33 (the opposite direction from the side where the culture media 41 and 42 are provided). The guidance supports 71, 72, 73, and 74 are provided at predetermined intervals along the first direction. The guidance supports 75, 76, 77, and 78 are attached to the extension portion 34 and extend in a second direction intersecting the first direction. The second direction here may be a direction perpendicular to the first direction or a direction intersecting the first direction other than perpendicular, and is outward from the extension portion 34 (the opposite direction from the side where the culture media 41 and 42 are provided). The guidance supports 75, 76, 77, and 78 are provided at predetermined intervals along the first direction. The guidance poles 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, and 78 extend horizontally on the ground, for example. When attached to the extension portion 33 (or the extension portion 34), the guidance poles 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, and 78 are configured to be movable up and down around the portion attached to the extension portion 33 (or the extension portion 34) as a fulcrum. The guidance poles 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, and 78 may be configured to be detachable from the extension portion 33 (or the extension portion 34).

[0027] Culture media 41 and 42 are medium portions in which multiple cucumber plants are planted along a first direction. Culture media 41 and 42 are provided adjacent to each other along the first direction. Two plants 101 and 102 are planted along the first direction in culture medium 41. Two plants 103 and 104 are planted along the first direction in culture medium 42. That is, plants 101, 102, 103, and 104 are provided in this order along the first direction.

[0028] For example, about three to five stems grow from each of the plants 101, 102, 103, and 104 (three to five stem training). As an example, two stems 201 and 401 growing from the plant 101 and two stems 301 and 501 growing from the plant 103 will be described here. Although omitted in Figure 1, in reality, stems also grow from the plants 102 and 104 in the same way.

[0029] The stem 201 extends from the stump 101, passes under the training supports 71, 72 (passes under the training supports 71, 72), and extends diagonally upward with the training support 72 as a fulcrum. In this case, the training support 72 is holding a portion of the stem 201 in place. The upper part of the stem 201 is fixed to the training wire 51 by a clip 62, which serves as a fixing part. A plurality of leaves 202 and a plurality of fruits 203 grow laterally on the stem 201.

[0030] The stem 301 grows from the stump 103, circles the cultivation shelf 1 counterclockwise, and grows diagonally upward, passing under the training pole 71 (passing under the training pole 71), with the training pole 71 as a fulcrum. In this case, the training pole 71 holds a portion of the stem 301 in place. The upper part of the stem 301 is fixed to the training wire 51 by a clip 61, which serves as a fixing part. A plurality of leaves 302 and a plurality of fruits 303 grow laterally on the stem 301. The stem 301 may be trained clockwise instead of counterclockwise.

[0031] Stem 401 extends from stump 101, passes under guidance supports 71, 71, 73, and 74 (passes under guidance supports 71, 72, 73, and 74), and continues to extend. Stem 501 extends from stump 103, passes under guidance support 78 (passes under guidance support 78), and extends diagonally upward with guidance support 78 as a fulcrum. In this case, guidance support 78 is holding a portion of stem 501 in place. The upper part of stem 501 is fixed to guidance wire 52 by clip 63, which serves as a fixing part.

[0032] The angles at which the stems 201, 301, and 401 extend diagonally upward may be approximately the same. For example, the angles of the stems 201, 301, and 401 can be made approximately the same by matching the distance in the first direction between the guiding support 72 that anchors the stem 201 and the clip 62, the distance in the first direction between the guiding support 71 that anchors the stem 301 and the clip 61, and the distance in the first direction between the guiding support 76 that anchors the stem 401 and the clip 63. In this case, the distances from the fulcrums of the stems 201, 301, and 401 to the clips will also be approximately the same.

[0033] As the stem grows, the clip at the top of the stem is moved away from the plant, and the training post that secures the bottom of the stem is repositioned away from the plant. For example, as stem 301 grows, clip 61 is moved away from plant 101, specifically to the current position of clip 62. In response to the repositioning of clip 61, the training post that serves as the fulcrum is repositioned to training post 72, which is one position away from the plant. In this case, the repositioning of clip 62 and other components on stem 201 is actually performed first. Clip 62 is moved away from plant 101, and the training post that serves as the fulcrum is repositioned to training post 73, which is one position away from the plant. During this repositioning, the distance the clip is moved in the first direction is approximately the same as the spacing between adjacent training posts (the separation distance in the first direction), thereby maintaining a constant angle of diagonal training before and after the repositioning of the clips.

[0034] Next, we will explain the procedure for moving stems when training them obliquely in a cucumber cultivation method using such a cultivation shelf 1. The procedure described below may be performed, for example, every day or once every few days. The following will explain the procedure for moving stems 301 as an example.

[0035] First, an operator determines whether or not the fixed position of the stem 301 growing from the stump 101 needs to be changed based on the degree of growth (first step).

[0036] If it is determined in the first step that the fixing position needs to be changed, the fixing position of the upper part of the stem 301 by the clip 61 is moved in a direction away from the stump 101 (second step). In practice, it is preferable to work in order starting from the stem farthest from the stump 101, and in the example of Figure 1, the stem 201 is moved first.

[0037] In response to the repositioning of the clip 61 in the second step, the fulcrum for the training post is changed to a training post 73, which is located farther away from the stock 101 than the current training post 72 (step 3). In this case, the distance the clip 61 is moved in the second step is approximately the same as the distance between the training posts 72 and 73. This allows the angle of diagonal training (the angle of the stem 301) to be constant before and after the change of the fixing position. Since the combination of the clip position and the training post that serves as the fulcrum is important in maintaining a constant angle of diagonal training, for example, colored tape of the same color may be attached to the corresponding clip positions (positions on the training wires 51 and 52) and the training post to improve the ease of repositioning.

[0038] The cultivation rack 1 described above may be used together with a robot that harvests fruit. That is, the cultivation system according to this embodiment may include the cultivation rack 1 described above and a robot 1000 as shown in FIG. 4. The robot 1000 is, for example, a robot for harvesting cucumbers. The robot 1000 distinguishes between the fruit and stem of a cucumber and harvests the fruit using its hands or the like.

[0039] Finally, the effects of the configuration according to this embodiment will be described.

[0040] The fruit vegetable cultivation shelf 1 of this embodiment comprises culture medium 41, 42 in which a plurality of fruit vegetable plants are planted along a first direction, extension portions 33, 34 extending along the first direction, attraction wires 51, 52 arranged above the extension portions 33, 34 and extending along the first direction, clips 61, 62, 63 that secure the upper portions of stems 201, 301, 401 extending from the plant 101 to the attraction wires 51, 52, and a plurality of attraction supports 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78 attached to the extension portions 33, 34 and extending in a second direction that intersects the first direction, and the stems 201, 301, 401 extending from the plant 101 pass under at least one of the attraction supports and extend diagonally upward with the support as a fulcrum.

[0041] In this type of cultivation shelf 1, in the oblique training in which a stem (e.g., stem 301) extending from a plant 101 is trained obliquely upward, the stem 301 passes under the training support 71 and extends obliquely upward with the training support 71 as a fulcrum, and the upper part of the stem 301 is fixed to the training wire 51 with a clip 61. With this configuration, in the oblique training, the position of the lower part of the stem 301 is fixed by passing under the training support 71, so there is no need to fix the lower part of the stem 301 with a clip or the like. In other words, in the cultivation shelf 1 for fruit vegetables according to this embodiment, in the conventional case where fixation for positioning was required at two points, top and bottom, the stem can be fixed at only one point, at the top, thereby reducing the workload. For example, when changing the position of the upper clip as the stem grows, the position of the lower part of the stem can be fixed simply by changing the guide support through which the clip (e.g. clip 61) is passed in accordance with the change in position (for example, changing from guide support 71 to guide support 72), which greatly reduces the workload compared to changing the fixing position of clips etc. at the lower part of the stem.

[0042] For example, the main cultivation management tasks in accelerated cucumber cultivation include harvesting, training, and pruning (leaf removal, vine cutting, etc.). Even when fixing the stem at one point, as in vertical training, training is the second most time-consuming task after harvesting. In this time-consuming training task, if the stem is fixed at two points (using clips, etc.) as in the past when training at an angle, the work time may be more than double that when fixing the stem at one point. In this regard, by adopting a configuration in which the stem is fixed at one point even when training at an angle, as described above, the training task, which contributes greatly to the workload in cultivation management, can be made more efficient and the workload can be significantly reduced.

[0043] When attached to the extensions 33, 34, the guidance supports 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78 may be configured to be able to move up and down around the parts attached to the extensions 33, 34 as fulcrums. With this configuration, for example, when releasing the fixed state of the stems, the guidance support can be moved upward to smoothly move the stems, and when it is desired to fix the stems properly (firmly), the guidance support can be moved downward to firmly fix the stems. In other words, by making the guidance supports movable up and down, the workload can be further reduced.

[0044] Guiding struts 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, and 78 may be configured to be detachable from extensions 33 and 34. Such a configuration makes it possible to provide guiding struts only when necessary, further reducing the workload.

[0045] The fruit vegetables cultivated on the cultivation shelf 1 may be cucumbers. Cucumbers have a large stem growth rate per day (for example, about 1.9 times that of tomatoes), and the structure for fixing the stems must be moved daily. In this regard, with the structure according to this embodiment, the stems are fixed in position simply by changing the support for guiding the stems through which they pass during diagonal training, thereby reducing the workload associated with frequently changing the stem fixing position. In other words, the structure according to this embodiment can effectively reduce the workload associated with harvesting cucumbers, whose stems grow rapidly.

[0046] The cultivation system according to this embodiment includes the above-described cultivation shelf 1 for fruit vegetables and a robot 1000 (see FIG. 4) that distinguishes between fruits and stems of fruit vegetables and harvests the fruits. This cultivation system further reduces the workload by using the robot 1000, which distinguishes between fruits and stems and properly harvests the fruits. Furthermore, since this cultivation system employs the above-described cultivation shelf 1 and can reduce the workload even when training the plants obliquely, it is possible to proactively employ oblique training, which separates the fruits and stems and makes them easier to distinguish (oblique training that allows the robot 1000 to harvest with high precision), thereby improving work efficiency. As explained with reference to FIG. 3 and other figures, employing oblique training increases the total yield.

[0047] The cultivation method according to this embodiment uses the above-described fruit and vegetable cultivation rack 1, in which multiple training supports are provided at predetermined intervals along a first direction. The method includes the following steps: a first step of determining whether a stem extending from a plant needs to have its fixed position changed based on its growth; a second step of moving the fixed position of the upper part of the stem with a clip away from the plant if a change in the fixed position is necessary; and a third step of changing the fulcrum training support to a new one positioned further away from the plant in accordance with the change in clip position in the second step. In this cultivation method, the clip-based fixed position is changed in accordance with the growth of the stem, and the training support that serves as the fulcrum (the base point for diagonally upward growth) of the stem is changed in accordance with the change in the clip-based fixed position. This configuration significantly reduces the workload when changing the fixed position of the lower part of the stem based on the growth of the stem, simply by changing the training support through which the stem passes.

[0048] The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment. Figures 5 to 10 are diagrams illustrating configurations according to modified examples, specifically, stem receiving units. The cultivation shelf of the present invention may further include a stem receiving unit 1100 (see Figures 5 to 8) or a stem receiving unit 1200 (see Figures 9 and 10) in addition to the configurations described in the embodiments. Note that, for the sake of convenience, illustration of guide poles is omitted in Figures 5 to 8.

[0049] As shown in Figures 5(a) to 5(d), the stem receiving portion 1100 is configured to receive (support) the stem 201 passing under the guide pole. As shown in Figure 5(a), multiple stem receiving portions 1100 are provided at predetermined intervals along the first direction. In the example shown in Figure 5(a), multiple poles 1500 extending vertically so as to intersect with the extension portion 33 are provided at predetermined intervals along the first direction, and each pole 1500 is provided with a stem receiving portion 1100. Figure 6 is an exploded view of the stem receiving portion 1100. As shown in Figures 5(a) and 6, the stem receiving portion 1100 has a stem support portion 1101, a stem spill prevention portion 1102, a connecting portion 1103, and an attachment portion 1104. The stem support portion 1101 and the stem spill prevention portion 1102 extend in directions that intersect with each other. The stem receiving portion 1100 is configured so that at least one of its position and shape can be changed between a first state (see Figures 5(a) and 5(b)) whose main purpose is to support the stem 201, and a second state (see Figures 5(c) and 5(d)) whose main purpose is not to support the stem 201. The second state is a state whose main purpose is, for example, to perform work such as diagonal guiding (such as pulling up the stem 201 diagonally upward). The stem receiving portion 1100 supports the stem 201 in the first state, and its position and shape can be changed so that diagonal guiding work can be easily performed in the second state (details will be described later).

[0050] The stem support part 1101 is a cylindrical part that supports the stem 201 from below. In the first state, the stem support part 1101 extends in the second direction. In the second state, the stem support part 1101 may extend in the first direction as shown in Figure 5(d). In this way, when the stem support part 1101 extends in the first direction, the stem support part 1101 does not protrude in the second direction, making it easier to perform the work of diagonally guiding the stem.

[0051] As shown in Figure 6, the stem spill prevention part 1102 is connected to the stem support part 1101 via the connecting part 1103, and extends in a direction intersecting the stem support part 1101, preventing the stem 201 from coming off the stem support part 1101. In the first state, the stem spill prevention part 1102 extends upward from a point connected to the stem support part 1101 (more specifically, a point connected to the stem support part 1101 via the connecting part 1103). By providing the stem spill prevention part 1102 in this manner, the stem 201 supported by the stem support part 1101 can be prevented from coming off the stem support part 1101. Furthermore, the stem spill prevention part 1102 rotates from the first state shown in Figure 5(b) around the connecting part 1103 as a fulcrum, and in the second state shown in Figure 5(c), it extends downward. In the second state shown in Figure 5(c), the stem support part 1101 extends in the second direction. In this way, when the stem spill prevention part 1102 extends downward, it becomes easier to perform the work of diagonally guiding the stem.

[0052] As shown in FIG. 6, the mounting portion 1104 is provided at the end of the stem support portion 1101 opposite to the portion continuing to the stem spill prevention portion 1102, and in the examples shown in FIGS. 5(a) to 5(d) and 7(a) to 7(b), it is attached to the support pole 1500. The mounting portion 1104 may be attached to the extension portion 33 (or extension portion 34) (e.g., FIG. 8(a)), or may be attached to the guide pole 71 (or guide poles 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78) (e.g., FIG. 10(a)). As shown in FIG. 7(b), the mounting portion 1104 can be attached at various heights on the support pole 1500 and at various positions on the extension portion 33 (or extension portion 34).

[0053] (According to the state of the stem holder) Below, various variations of the stem support part depending on its state (first state, second state) are described. In the example shown in Fig. 5(a) to Fig. 5(d), the mounting part 1104 is mounted on the support 1500, and in the first state, the stem support part 1101 extends in the second direction, and the stem spill prevention part 1102 extends upward (Fig. 5(a) and Fig. 5(b)). In the second state, the stem support part 1101 may rotate so that the stem spill prevention part 1102 extends downward while remaining extended in the second direction (see Fig. 5(c)), or the stem support part 1101 may rotate so that it is folded in the first direction (see Fig. 5(d)). In this case, the stem spill prevention part 1102 shown in Fig. 5(c) rotates around the connecting part 1103 as a fulcrum, and the stem support part 1101 shown in Fig. 5(d) rotates around the mounting part 1104 as a fulcrum. In addition, when the second state is reached, part or all of the stem spill prevention part 1102 may be removed to make it easier to guide the plant obliquely. For example, the components (such as the stem support part 1101) on the distal side of the attachment part 1104 may be removed from the attachment part 1104 to make it easier to guide the plant obliquely.

[0054] In the example shown in Figures 8(a) to 8(d), the attachment part 1104 is attached to the extension part 33, and in the first state, the stem support part 1101 extends in the second direction and the stem spillage prevention part 1102 extends upward (see Figure 8(a)), and in the second state, the stem support part 1101 may rotate so as to extend downward with the attachment part 1104 as a fulcrum (see Figure 8(b)). Furthermore, in the second state, from the state shown in Figure 8(b), the stem spillage prevention part 1102 may further rotate so as to extend in the first direction with the connecting part 1103 as a fulcrum (see Figure 8(c)). In addition, in the first state, the stem support part 1101 extends in the second direction and the stem spill prevention part 1102 extends upward (see Figure 8(a)), and in the second state, the stem spill prevention part 1102 may rotate so that it extends downward with the connecting part 1103 as a fulcrum (see Figure 8(d)).

[0055] 9(a) to 9(c) and 10(a) to 10(f), a stem receiver 1200 may be used instead of the above-mentioned stem receiver 1100. The stem receiver 1200 has the same stem support portion 1101, stem spill prevention portion 1102, connecting portion 1103, and attachment portion 1104 as the stem receiver 1100, and further has an extension portion 1205 and a connecting portion 1206 between the stem support portion 1101 and the attachment portion 1104. The extension portion 1205 is continuous with the stem support portion 1101 via the connecting portion 1206. The attachment portion 1104 is provided at the end of the extension portion 1205 opposite to the point where it continues with the stem support portion 1101.

[0056] In a configuration using such a stem receiving part 1200, in the example shown in Figure 9(a), the attachment part 1104 is attached to the extension part 33, and in the first state, the extension part 1205 extends downward, the stem support part 1101 extends in the second direction, and the stem spill prevention part 1102 extends upward. From this state, in the second state, the stem spill prevention part 1102 may rotate so as to extend downward with the connecting part 1103 as a fulcrum (see Figure 9(b)), or the stem support part 1101 may rotate so as to extend in the first direction (so as to be folded) with the connecting part 1206 as a fulcrum (see Figure 9(c)).

[0057] In the example shown in Figure 10(a), the mounting part 1104 is attached to the training pole 71. In the first state, the extension part 1205 extends downward, the stem support part 1101 extends in the second direction, and the stem spill prevention part 1102 extends upward. The length of the extension part 1205 may be adjusted as shown in Figure 10(b). In the second state, the stem support part 1101 may rotate around the connecting part 1206 to extend in the first direction (to be folded) (see Figure 10(c) or Figure 10(e)), or the stem spill prevention part 1102 may rotate around the connecting part 1103 to extend downward (see Figure 10(d)). In the second state, as shown in Figure 10(f), the stem support part 1101 may be detached from the connecting part 1206, making it easier to train the plant obliquely.

[0058] As described above, the cultivation shelf for fruit vegetables further includes a stem receiving portion 1100 that receives the stems 201 that pass through the lower part of the training pole, and the stem receiving portion 1100 has a stem support portion 1101 that supports the stems 201 from below, and a stem spill prevention portion 1102 that is provided continuously with the stem support portion 1101 and prevents the stems 201 from detaching from the stem support portion 1101. The stem receiving portion 1100 may be configured so that at least one of its position and shape can be changed between a first state in which the main purpose is to support the stems 201, and a second state in which the main purpose is not to support the stems 201. The second state may be a state in which the stem receiving portion is not required, for example, at the beginning of growth or at the end of cultivation. In this way, by using the stem receiving portion 1100, the position and / or shape of which can be changed between the first state and the second state, the stem 2101 can be properly supported by the stem receiving portion 1100, and when performing work such as diagonal guiding, the position or shape of the stem receiving portion 1100 can be made appropriate for that purpose, thereby achieving both the support performance for the stem 201 and the ease of guiding the stem diagonally.

[0059] The stem support part 1101 and the stem spill prevention part 1102 extend in directions that intersect with each other, and in the first state, the stem support part 1101 extends in the second direction, and the stem spill prevention part 1102 may extend upward from a point that is continuous with the stem support part 1101. With this configuration, the stem 201 can be properly supported by the stem support part 1101, and the stem spill prevention part 1102 can properly prevent the stem 201 from coming off the stem support part 1101.

[0060] In the second state, the stem support part 1101 extends in the second direction, and the stem spill prevention part 1102 may extend downward from a point continuous with the stem support part 1101. By setting the stem spill prevention part 1102 to extend downward in the second state, the workability of diagonal training can be improved.

[0061] In the second state, the stem support part 1101 may extend in the first direction, which prevents the stem support part 1101 from protruding in the second direction, improving the workability of diagonal guiding.

[0062] The stem receiving part 1100 further has an attachment part 1104 provided at the end opposite to the part of the stem support part 1101 that continues to the stem spill prevention part 1102, and the attachment part 1104 may be attached to at least one of the extension part 33, the support 1500, and the guide support. In this way, by attaching the attachment part 1104 to various configurations, the freedom of placement of the stem receiving part 1100 can be increased. [Explanation of symbols]

[0063] 1...cultivation shelf, 33,34...extension part, 41,42...culture medium (culture medium part), 51,52...attraction wire (attraction member), 71,72,73,74,75,76,77,78...attraction support, 101,102,103,104...plant, 201,301,401...stems, 1000...robot, 1100,1200...stem holder, 1101...stem support part, 1102...stem spill prevention part, 1104...mounting part, 1500...support.

Claims

1. A culture medium portion in which a plurality of fruit and vegetable plants are planted along a first direction; an extension portion extending along the first direction; an attracting member disposed above the extending portion; A fixing part that fixes an upper part of the stem extending from the plant to the attracting member; a plurality of guiding struts attached to the extension portion and extending in a second direction intersecting the first direction; A fruit and vegetable cultivation shelf, wherein the stems extending from the plants pass through the lower part of at least one of the training poles and extend obliquely upward with the training pole as a fulcrum.

2. The fruit and vegetable cultivation shelf according to claim 1 , wherein the guide pole is configured to be movable up and down around the part attached to the extension portion as a fulcrum when attached to the extension portion.

3. The fruit and vegetable cultivation shelf according to claim 1 , wherein the guide pole is configured to be detachable from the extension portion.

4. The fruit vegetable cultivation shelf according to claim 1, wherein the fruit vegetable is a cucumber.

5. Further provided is a stem receiving portion that receives the stem passing through the lower portion of the guidance support pole; The stem receiving portion is The stem support part supports the stem from below, and the stem spill prevention part is provided continuously with the stem support part and prevents the stem from coming off the stem support part.

2. The fruit and vegetable cultivation shelf according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the position and shape can be changed between a first state whose main purpose is to support the stems and a second state whose main purpose is not to support the stems.

6. The stem support portion and the stem spill prevention portion extend in directions intersecting each other, The fruit and vegetable cultivation shelf of claim 5, wherein in the first state, the stem support portion extends in the second direction, and the stem spill prevention portion extends upward from a point continuous with the stem support portion.

7. The fruit and vegetable cultivation shelf of claim 6, wherein in the second state, the stem support portion extends in the second direction, and the stem spill prevention portion extends downward from a point continuous with the stem support portion.

8. The fruit and vegetable cultivation shelf according to claim 6 , wherein in the second state, the stem support portion extends in the first direction.

9. Further provided is one or more support columns extending in the vertical direction so as to intersect with the extension portion, The stem receiving portion further has an attachment portion provided at the end opposite to the portion of the stem support portion that is continuous with the stem spill prevention portion, The fruit and vegetable cultivation shelf according to claim 5 , wherein the attachment portion is attached to at least one of the extension portion, the support pole, and the guide pole.

10. The fruit and vegetable cultivation shelf according to any one of claims 1 to 9, A cultivation system comprising: a robot that distinguishes and recognizes the fruits and stems of the fruit vegetables and harvests the fruits.

11. A cultivation method using the cultivation shelf for fruit vegetables according to any one of claims 1 to 9, The plurality of guidance columns are provided at predetermined intervals along the first direction, A first step of determining whether or not a change in the fixing position is necessary for a stem growing from a plant based on the degree of growth of the stem; a second step of moving the fixing position of the upper part of the stem by the fixing part in a direction away from the plant when a change of the fixing position is necessary; A cultivation method including a third step of changing the guiding support that serves as the fulcrum to a guiding support that is positioned away from the plant than it is currently, in accordance with the change in position of the fixing part in the second step.

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