Agricultural support methods and agricultural support programs

Abstract

Outputs information on which flower clusters should be removed. [Solution] An agricultural support method in which a computer performs the following processing: acquiring information on the temperature of the growing environment of a crop that produces flower clusters and information on the first flowering date of a specific flower cluster; identifying a reference date by going back a first number of days from the first flowering date of the specific flower cluster; calculating the average temperature for a second number of days after the reference date based on the acquired temperature information; and if the calculated average temperature value is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold, designating the specific flower cluster as a target for thinning and outputting information on the flower cluster to be thinned.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an agricultural support method and an agricultural support program.

Background Art

[0002] For example, in strawberry cultivation, flower picking and fruit picking are common operations. Strawberries have two cultivation methods: forcing cultivation from autumn to spring and summer-autumn picking cultivation from spring to early winter. Especially in the case of summer-autumn picking cultivation, since the flowering and harvesting periods overlap with the high-temperature period in summer, under abnormal high temperatures in recent years, the growth of flower buds is inhibited, and many fruits that cannot be shipped (undersized fruits) are generated.

[0003] Early flower picking or fruit picking of flowers and fruits that are expected to become undersized fruits is considered to heal the plant and lead to an increase in subsequent yields. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a technique for targeting fruits that do not fall within the range of predicted yields based on data related to the predicted yield of a plant and the weight of the fruits of the plant for fruit picking.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] However, the operation of picking flowers and fruits one by one for small flowers and fruits is time-consuming and labor-intensive. Also, if no fruits that meet the criteria for shipment can be harvested from a single inflorescence (fruit cluster), it is more efficient to pick the entire inflorescence (fruit cluster).

[0006] The present invention has been made under such circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide an agricultural support method and an agricultural support program capable of outputting information on inflorescences to be picked. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The first agricultural support method of the present invention is an agricultural support method in which a computer performs the following processing: acquiring information on the temperature of the cultivation environment of a crop in which flower clusters are produced and information on the first flowering date of a specific flower cluster; identifying a reference date that is a first number of days prior to the first flowering date of the specific flower cluster; calculating the average temperature for a second number of days after the reference date based on the acquired temperature information; and if the calculated average temperature value is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold, designating the specific flower cluster as a target for thinning and outputting information on the flower cluster to be thinned.

[0008] The second agricultural support method of the present invention is an agricultural support method in which a computer performs the following processing: acquiring temperature information of the cultivation environment of a crop in which flower clusters are produced; identifying a reference date by going back a first number of days from a predetermined date; calculating the average temperature for a second number of days after the reference date based on the acquired temperature information; and outputting that the flower cluster in which the first flower bloomed on the predetermined date is a flower cluster to be thinned if the calculated average temperature value is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold. [Effects of the Invention]

[0009] The agricultural support method and agricultural support program of the present invention have the effect of being able to output information on flower clusters that should be removed. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0010] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of an agricultural support system according to one embodiment. [Figure 2] Figure 2(a) shows the hardware configuration of the flower cluster determination server, flowering detection server, and environmental information management server, while Figure 2(b) shows the hardware configuration of the user terminal. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a functional block diagram of the pruning determination server. [Figure 4] Figure 4 shows the data structure of the judgment result database. [Figure 5] Figure 5(a) is a graph showing the relationship between the average temperature from the estimated flower bud differentiation date to the weight of the first fruit (fruit weight) for a certain variety of strawberry, and Figure 5(b) is a graph showing the relationship between the average temperature from the estimated flower bud differentiation date to the flowering date and the weight of the first fruit (fruit weight) for the same variety of strawberry as in Figure 5(a). [Figure 6] Figure 6 is a table showing the correlation coefficient between the average temperature for a specified period from the estimated date of flower bud differentiation and the weight of the first fruit. [Figure 7] Figure 7 is a flowchart showing the processing by the pruning determination server. [Figure 8] Figure 8 shows an example of a screen displayed on the user's terminal. [Figure 9] Figures 9(a) and 9(b) are diagrams illustrating the results of Experimental Example 1. [Figure 10] Figure 10 is a diagram illustrating the results of Experimental Example 2. [Figure 11] Figure 11 shows an overview of the determination of the flower cluster in one embodiment. [Figure 12] Figure 12 is a functional block diagram of the valve extraction determination server according to the modified example 2. [Figure 13] Figure 13 is a flowchart showing the processing of the valve removal determination server according to the modified example 2. [Figure 14] Figures 14(a) and 14(b) show examples of screens displayed on the user terminal in Modification Example 2. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0011] The following describes in detail one embodiment of the agricultural support system with reference to Figures 1 to 11. Figure 1 schematically shows the configuration of the agricultural support system 100 according to one embodiment. The agricultural support system 100 of this embodiment is a system used by strawberry producers, etc. (hereinafter referred to as users), and determines whether each flower cluster (fruit cluster) is subject to thinning in response to user input, and provides the user with the determination result.

[0012] As shown in FIG. 1, the agricultural support system 100 includes a cluster pruning determination server 10, a flowering detection server 12, an environmental information management server 14, and a user terminal 70. The servers 10, 12, 14 and the user terminal 70 are connected via a network 80 such as the Internet, enabling information exchange between the devices.

[0013] The cluster pruning determination server 10 determines which cluster (fruit cluster) of strawberry plants should be pruned and outputs the determination result to the user terminal 70. The cluster pruning determination server 10 cooperates with the flowering detection server 12 and the environmental information management server 14 to obtain necessary data from the servers 12, 14 and execute the cluster pruning determination using the obtained data.

[0014] FIG. 2(a) schematically shows the hardware configuration of the cluster pruning determination server 10. As shown in FIG. 2(a), the cluster pruning determination server 10 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 90, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 92, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 94, a storage (e.g., SSD (Solid State Drive) or HDD (Hard Disk Drive)) 96, a network interface 97, and a drive 99 for a portable storage medium, etc. Each component of the configuration of the cluster pruning determination server 10 is connected to a bus 98. In the cluster pruning determination server 10, the CPU 90 executes a program stored in the ROM 92 or the HDD 96 (including the agricultural support program) or a program read by the drive 99 for a portable storage medium from the portable storage medium 91, thereby realizing the functions of each part shown in FIG. 3. The functions of each part in FIG. 3 may be realized by an integrated circuit such as an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit) or an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array). Details of the functions of each part in FIG. 3 will be described later.

[0015] The flowering detection server 12 acquires images of strawberry plants in the field (e.g., inside a greenhouse) at predetermined intervals and detects the flowering date of the first flower in each flower cluster (fruit cluster) based on the acquired images. For example, the flowering detection server 12 uses techniques such as machine learning to detect flowering, and when flowering is detected, it identifies the plant's identification number and which flower in which flower cluster has bloomed. If the identified flower is the first flower, the flowering detection server 12 sends information indicating the flowering date and which flower cluster of which flower in which plant has bloomed (hereinafter referred to as flowering flower cluster information) to the thinning determination server 10. The flowering detection server 12 has the same hardware configuration as the thinning determination server 10 (see Figure 2(a)).

[0016] The environmental information management server 14 stores and manages past environmental data (temperature, etc.) of the field. Specifically, the environmental information management server 14 acquires and manages environmental data observed by sensors in the field (inside the greenhouse), meteorological data obtained from the Japan Meteorological Agency's database, and mesh agricultural meteorological data from the National Agriculture and Food Research Organization. In addition, the environmental information management server 14 provides the cluster thinning judgment server 10 with past environmental information of the field, as well as predicted and average values ​​of future environmental information, in response to requests from the cluster thinning judgment server 10. The environmental information management server 14 has the same hardware configuration as the cluster thinning judgment server 10 and the flowering detection server 12 (see Figure 2(a)).

[0017] The user terminal 70 is a device such as a smartphone or PC (Personal Computer) used by strawberry producers (users). The user terminal 70 acquires and displays the judgment results from the cluster thinning judgment server 10.

[0018] Here, the user terminal 70 has a hardware configuration as shown in Figure 2(b) as an example. As shown in Figure 2(b), the user terminal 70 includes a CPU 190, ROM 192, RAM 194, storage 196, network interface 197, display unit 193, input unit 195, and a portable storage medium drive 199 capable of reading data stored in a portable storage medium 191. The display unit 193 includes a liquid crystal display, and the input unit 195 includes a touch panel, keyboard, mouse, etc. Each of these components of the user terminal 70 is connected to the bus 198.

[0019] (Details about the pruning determination server 10) Figure 3 shows a functional block diagram of the flower cluster determination server 10. In the flower cluster determination server 10, the CPU 90 executes a program to realize the functions shown in Figure 3. Specifically, the flower cluster determination server 10 includes a flowering information acquisition unit 30, a flower bud differentiation date estimation unit 32, an average temperature calculation unit 34, a flower cluster determination unit 36, an output unit 38, and a focus period / threshold determination unit 20. Figure 3 also shows the determination result DB 40 stored in the storage 96, etc.

[0020] The flowering information acquisition unit 30 acquires flowering cluster information (information indicating which flower cluster of which plant has bloomed) transmitted from the flowering detection server 12. The flowering information acquisition unit 30 transmits the acquired information to the flower bud differentiation date estimation unit 32.

[0021] The flower bud differentiation date estimation unit 32 calculates the cumulative temperature by accumulating the average temperature for each day counting back from the flowering date. When calculating the cumulative temperature, the flower bud differentiation date estimation unit 32 obtains temperature information from the environmental information management server 14. The flower bud differentiation date estimation unit 32 then identifies the day on which the calculated cumulative temperature reaches a predetermined temperature (for example, 1000°C) and estimates the day before that (the day after the day on which the predetermined temperature is reached) as the flower bud differentiation date (reference date). In other words, the flower bud differentiation date estimation unit 32 estimates the flower bud differentiation date as the day immediately before the cumulative temperature counting back from the flowering date reaches the predetermined temperature. For example, if the flowering date is June 22nd and the day on which the cumulative temperature counting back from the flowering date reaches the predetermined temperature is April 26th, the flower bud differentiation date estimation unit 32 will estimate the flower bud differentiation date to be April 27th. Here, the technique for estimating the day immediately before the accumulated temperature reaches a predetermined temperature (e.g., 1000°C) as the flower bud differentiation day is disclosed in "Hiroshi Kumakura, Yoshihiro Shishido, 1995, 'Effects of temperature and day length on flower bud differentiation in everbearing strawberry varieties', Journal of the Japanese Society for Horticultural Science, 64;85-94". The flower bud differentiation day estimation unit 32 transmits the estimated flower bud differentiation day information and flowering cluster information to the average temperature calculation unit 34.

[0022] The average temperature calculation unit 34 calculates the average temperature during a second number of days (details to be described later) based on the flower bud differentiation date estimated by the flower bud differentiation date estimation unit 32. When calculating the average temperature, the average temperature calculation unit 34 obtains field temperature information from the environmental information management server 14. The average temperature calculation unit 34 transmits the calculated average temperature, along with the flowering cluster information and the estimated flower bud differentiation date, to the cluster thinning determination unit 36.

[0023] The cluster thinning determination unit 36 ​​determines that the weight of the first fruit of the flower cluster (fruit cluster) of the plant, as indicated in the flowering cluster information, does not meet the shipping standard if the average temperature calculated by the average temperature calculation unit 34 is above a predetermined value. If the weight of the first fruit does not meet the shipping standard, there is a high probability that subsequent fruits (second fruit, third fruit, etc.) will also not meet the shipping standard, so the cluster thinning determination unit 36 ​​determines that the flower cluster (fruit cluster) should be thinned. The determination result of the cluster thinning determination unit 36 ​​is stored in the determination result DB 40.

[0024] The Judgment Result DB40 has a data structure as shown in Figure 4. Specifically, the Judgment Result DB40 contains the following items: plant number, flower cluster number, flowering date, estimated flower bud differentiation date, average temperature, and flower cluster thinning. Note that in Figure 4, only the data for plant number=1 is shown, but the data for plant numbers=2, 3, etc. are shown overlapping below (behind) the data for plant number=1. In the example in Figure 4, information indicating that a flower cluster with a calculated average temperature of 28°C or higher is a flower cluster to be thinned is stored (see "Flower Cluster Thinning" in the "Flower Cluster Thinning" column).

[0025] The output unit 38 outputs the information stored in the judgment result DB 40 to the user terminal 70 in response to a request from the user or at a predetermined timing. The user terminal 70 displays the judgment result information, as shown in Figure 4, on the display unit 193.

[0026] The focus period / threshold determination unit 20 determines the second number of days (focus period) to be used by the average temperature calculation unit 34, and also determines a predetermined value (average temperature threshold) to be used by the fruit thinning determination unit 36.

[0027] Figure 5(a) is a graph showing the relationship between the average temperature from the estimated flower bud differentiation date of the first flower to the weight of the first fruit (fruit weight) for a certain variety of strawberry. Figure 5(b) is a graph showing the relationship between the average temperature from the estimated flower bud differentiation date of the first flower to the flowering date and the weight of the first fruit (fruit weight) for the same variety of strawberry as in Figure 5(a). Figure 6 is a table showing the correlation coefficient between the average temperature from the estimated flower bud differentiation date to a predetermined period and the weight of the first fruit.

[0028] For example, suppose that the approximation formula for each point plotted in Figure 5(a) is expressed by the following equation (1), where the vertical axis is the y-axis and the horizontal axis is the x-axis. y = (8.23 × 10 4 )x -2.85 …(1) Let's assume that the correlation coefficient of the approximation equation (1) above was -0.74, as shown in Figure 6.

[0029] Furthermore, the approximation formula for each point plotted in Figure 5(b) is given by the following equation (2), where the vertical axis is the y-axis and the horizontal axis is the x-axis. y = (1.41 × 10) 6 )x -3.72 …(2)

[0030] Let's assume that the correlation coefficient of the approximation equation (2) above is -0.80, as shown in Figure 6.

[0031] Furthermore, when approximate formulas were obtained for the relationship between the average temperature for 20 days from the estimated flower bud differentiation date and the weight of the first fruit (fruit weight), and the relationship between the average temperature for 10 days from the estimated flower bud differentiation date and the weight of the first fruit (fruit weight), the correlation coefficients were -0.66 and -0.61, as shown in Figure 6.

[0032] If the results shown in Figure 6 are obtained, the focus period / threshold identification unit 20 adopts the graph with the largest absolute value of the correlation coefficient (the relationship between the average temperature from the estimated flower bud differentiation date to the flowering date and the weight of the first fruit (fruit weight)) and identifies the "number of days from the estimated flower bud differentiation date to the flowering date" as the focus period (second number of days).

[0033] Furthermore, the focus period / threshold identification unit 20 uses equation (2), which shows the relationship between the average temperature from the estimated flower bud differentiation date to the flowering date and the weight of the first fruit (fruit weight) (Figure 5(b)), to identify the average temperature at which the first fruit will reach or exceed the harvest standard (e.g., 6g) as the threshold. In the case of Figure 5(b), the average temperature corresponding to a fruit weight of 6g for the first fruit is approximately 28°C, so 28°C is identified as the threshold.

[0034] In Figure 6, it is assumed that the absolute value of the correlation coefficient between the average temperature for 30 days from the estimated flower bud differentiation date and the weight of the first fruit (fruit weight) was the largest. In this case, the period of focus / threshold identification unit 20 identifies "30 days" as the period of focus (second number of days). Furthermore, the period of focus / threshold identification unit 20 identifies the average temperature (28°C) at which the first fruit becomes equal to or greater than the harvest standard (e.g., 6g) as the threshold, based on Figure 5(a) and equation (1).

[0035] Since the observation period (second number of days) and threshold differ depending on the variety, it is preferable to prepare graphs like Figure 5(a) and Figure 5(b) for each variety and determine the observation period (second number of days) and threshold in the same manner as described above.

[0036] (Regarding the processing of the flower vine selection determination server 10) Next, the processing of the flower cluster determination server 10 will be explained according to the flowchart in Figure 7. As a premise for the processing in Figure 7, the flowering detection server 12 sequentially processes images taken in the field and detects when, on which plant, and on which flower cluster the first flower bloomed. When the flowering detection server 12 detects flowering, it sends flowering flower cluster information (information indicating the flowering date and which plant and which flower cluster the first flower bloomed) to the flower cluster determination server 10.

[0037] When the process shown in Figure 7 begins, in step S10, the flowering information acquisition unit 30 first determines whether or not flowering cluster information has been transmitted from the flowering detection server 12. If the determination in step S10 is negative, in step S12, the output unit 38 determines whether or not to output the determination result. In step S12, the determination is affirmed if an output request is made from the user terminal 70 or at a predetermined timing, but if the determination is negative, the process returns to step S10.

[0038] Subsequently, the decisions in steps S10 and S12 are repeated. For example, if the decision in step S10 is affirmed (if flowering cluster information is transmitted from the flowering detection server 12), the process proceeds to step S13.

[0039] When the process moves to step S13, the flowering information acquisition unit 30 acquires the transmitted flowering flower cluster information and transmits it to the flower bud differentiation date estimation unit 32.

[0040] Next, in step S14, the flower bud differentiation date estimation unit 32 communicates with the environmental information management server 14 to obtain the average daily temperature of the field for a predetermined period (for example, the period from planting to flowering) that has been counted back from the flowering date of the first flower.

[0041] Next, in step S16, the flower bud differentiation date estimation unit 32 calculates the accumulated temperature by working backward from the flowering date of the first flower and estimates the flower bud differentiation date. Specifically, the flower bud differentiation date estimation unit 32 calculates the accumulated temperature one day at a time by working backward from the flowering date of the first flower, and estimates the day just before the calculated accumulated temperature reaches a predetermined temperature (for example, 1000°C) as the flower bud differentiation date. The estimated flower bud differentiation date (estimated flower bud differentiation date) can be said to be a reference date that is one number of days backward from the flowering date of the first flower. The flower bud differentiation date estimation unit 32 transmits the estimated flower bud differentiation date and the flowering cluster information to the average temperature calculation unit 34.

[0042] Next, in step S18, the average temperature calculation unit 34 calculates the average temperature for the period of interest (second number of days) based on the flower bud differentiation date. When calculating the average temperature, the average temperature calculation unit 34 obtains the temperature of the field for each day from the environmental information management server 14. If the period of interest (second number of days) identified by the period of interest / threshold identification unit 20 is the period from the estimated flower bud differentiation date to the flowering date, the average temperature calculation unit 34 calculates the average of the daily average temperatures for that period. The flower bud differentiation date estimation unit 32 transmits the calculated average temperature, the flower bud differentiation date, and the flowering flower cluster information to the flower cluster determination unit 36.

[0043] Next, in step S20, the pruning determination unit 36 ​​determines whether the average temperature obtained in step S18 is equal to or greater than the threshold determined by the period of interest / threshold determination unit 20 (i.e., average temperature ≥ threshold). In the example in Figure 5(b), the threshold is 28°C.

[0044] If the judgment in step S20 is affirmed, that is, if the average temperature is 28°C or higher, the process proceeds to step S22, where the flower cluster thinning determination unit 36 ​​determines that the flower clusters included in the flowering flower cluster information are subject to thinning. Subsequently, the process proceeds to step S26, where the flower cluster thinning determination unit 36 ​​stores the determination result and other information in the determination result DB 40.

[0045] On the other hand, if the judgment in step S20 is rejected, the flower cluster determination unit 36 ​​proceeds to step S24 and determines that the flower clusters included in the flowering flower cluster information are not subject to flower cluster removal. After that, the process proceeds to step S26, and the flower cluster determination unit 36 ​​stores the determination result and other information in the determination result DB 40.

[0046] After the processing in step S26 is completed, the process returns to step S10. From this point onward, each time the judgment in step S10 is confirmed, the processing and judgment in steps S13 to S26 are repeated. In other words, each time the flower cluster determination server 10 obtains information on the flowering date of the first flower cluster, it determines whether or not that flower cluster is subject to flower cluster determination and stores the determination result in the determination result DB 40, and this process is repeated.

[0047] On the other hand, if the judgment in step S12 is affirmed after repeating the judgments in steps S10 and S12, the process moves to step S28, and the output unit 38 outputs the information stored in the judgment result DB 40 to the user terminal 70. In this case, for example, a screen like the one shown in Figure 8 is displayed on the display unit 193 of the user terminal 70. The screen in Figure 8 displays information on the average temperature (threshold) for which flower clusters are to be thinned, and information on the flower clusters to be thinned for each plant. By clicking on the tabs (1, 2, ...) in Figure 8, users can transition to the screen for each individual plant.

[0048] After that, the process returns to step S10, and the process described above is repeated. Note that the process in Figure 7 may be terminated in response to instructions from the user terminal 70, or it may be terminated when a predetermined timing (such as the end of the cultivation period) arrives.

[0049] (Experimental Example 1) Figure 9(a) is a graph showing the distribution of single fruit weight at harvest time when flower clusters with an average temperature of 28°C or higher from the estimated flower bud differentiation date to flowering date were cultivated without thinning. The number of flower clusters analyzed was 32, and the number of fruits analyzed was 151.

[0050] Figure 9(b) is a table showing the results of calculating the ratio of the number of fruits included in each weight range to the total number of fruits, categorized by weight range.

[0051] Figures 9(a) and 9(b) show that 72.2% of the total fruits that set on flower clusters where the average temperature from the estimated flower bud differentiation date to flowering date was 28°C or higher weighed 6g or less (undersized fruit). Therefore, it is thought that thinning flower clusters where the average temperature from the estimated flower bud differentiation date to flowering date is 28°C or higher does not significantly reduce the number of fruits that can be shipped, and that thinning allows the plants to recover, leading to an expected increase in subsequent yields.

[0052] (Experimental Example 2) Figure 10 shows the results of determining the weight of each flower (fruit) at harvest time when a flower cluster, whose first flower bloomed on August 30, 2024, was cultivated without thinning, assuming an average temperature of 28.4°C from the estimated date of flower bud differentiation to the date of flowering.

[0053] Figure 10 shows that all the fruits did not exceed 6g at harvest, resulting in undersized fruits; therefore, it was determined that the flower cluster in question should be thinned.

[0054] Figure 11 shows an overview of the cluster thinning determination in one embodiment. According to this embodiment, as shown in Figure 11, (1) the flowering information acquisition unit 30 acquires information on the flowering date of the first flower of the strawberry flower cluster (S13 in Figure 7), and the flower bud differentiation date estimation unit 32 acquires information on the temperature of the field where the strawberries are cultivated from the environmental information management server 14 (S14 in Figure 7). In addition, (2) the flower bud differentiation date estimation unit 32 sets the day immediately before the cumulative temperature counting back from the flowering date of the first flower reaches a predetermined temperature as the estimated flower bud differentiation date (S16 in Figure 7), and (3) the average temperature calculation unit 34 calculates the average temperature for the second number of days after the estimated flower bud differentiation date (for example, the number of days until the flowering date) (S18 in Figure 7). Then, (4) the cluster thinning determination unit 36 ​​determines that the flower cluster is subject to thinning (S22 in Figure 7) if the average temperature value is above a threshold (for example, 28°C) (S20 in Figure 7: affirmative), and the output unit 38 outputs the determination result of the cluster thinning determination unit 36 ​​(S26, S28 in Figure 7). In this embodiment, based on the temperature during a specific period before the first flower of a certain flower cluster blooms, it is determined whether all the fruits that will set on that flower cluster are likely to be undersized, and based on the determination result, it is output whether the flower cluster should be thinned, so that the user (strawberry producer) can identify which flower clusters should be thinned. As a result, by thinning flower clusters (fruit clusters) that will not be shipped, the plants can be nurtured, and thus it is possible to increase the yield.

[0055] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the flower bud differentiation date estimation unit 32 estimates the flower bud differentiation date as the day immediately before the cumulative average temperature for each day, calculated by working backward from the flowering date of the first flower, reaches a predetermined value. This allows for accurate estimation of the flower bud differentiation date without the need to dissect and examine the plant.

[0056] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the flowering detection server 12 identifies the flowering date of the first flower by analyzing the image. This eliminates the need for users (producers) to visually confirm flowering and input the flowering date, thus saving users time and effort.

[0057] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the second number of days (the number of days indicating the period for calculating the average temperature) and the threshold used to determine whether or not to thin the grape clusters based on the average temperature are determined based on past cultivation results as shown in Figures 5(a) and 5(b). This makes it possible to set appropriate values ​​for the second number of days and the threshold. In addition, since the second number of days and the threshold can be different for each variety, the accuracy of determining whether or not to thin the grape clusters can be improved for each variety.

[0058] (Variation 1) In the above embodiment, the case in which the flowering cluster determination server 10 receives flowering cluster information from the flowering detection server 12 was described, but it is not limited to this. For example, the flowering cluster determination server 10 may receive flowering cluster information from the user terminal 70. That is, the user may visually identify the flowering date of the first flower of each flower cluster, and once the user terminal 70 inputs the flowering date information and the plant and flower cluster information, the user terminal 70 may transmit the input information to the flowering cluster determination server 10.

[0059] (Modification 2) In the above embodiment, we have described a case in which the flower cluster determination server 10 determines whether or not the flower cluster should be thinned when the flowering date of the first flower is identified, but the embodiment is not limited to this. For example, when a user inputs a date (for example, today) on the user terminal 70, the flower cluster determination server 10 may output information on whether or not the flower cluster to which the first flower belongs should be thinned when the first flower blooms on the input date.

[0060] Figure 12 shows a functional block diagram of the flower pruning determination server 10 according to this modified example 2. The parts indicated by the thick lines in Figure 12 are the parts that differ from those in Figure 3. In this modified example 2, as shown in Figure 12, a date information acquisition unit 130 is provided in place of the flowering information acquisition unit 30 in Figure 3, and a flower pruning determination and output unit 136 is provided in place of the flower pruning determination unit 36, determination result DB 40, and output unit 38 in Figure 3.

[0061] Figure 13 shows a flowchart illustrating the processing of the pruning determination server 10 according to this modified example 2. In Figure 13, parts that differ from the processing in Figure 7 are indicated by a thick border, and an apostrophe ('') is added to the end of the step number.

[0062] When the process shown in Figure 13 begins, first, in step S10', the date information acquisition unit 130 waits until today's date is transmitted. Once the date is transmitted from the user terminal 70, the process proceeds to step S14'.

[0063] When the process moves to step S14', the flower bud differentiation date estimation unit 32 communicates with the environmental information management server 14 to obtain the average daily temperature of the field for a predetermined period of time (for example, the period from planting to today) that is calculated by working backward from today's date.

[0064] Next, in step S16', the flower bud differentiation date estimation unit 32 calculates the accumulated temperature by working backward from today's date and estimates the flower bud differentiation date. Specifically, the flower bud differentiation date estimation unit 32 calculates the accumulated temperature one day at a time by working backward from today's date, and estimates the day just before the calculated accumulated temperature reaches a predetermined temperature (for example, 1000°C) as the flower bud differentiation date. The flower bud differentiation date estimation unit 32 transmits the estimated flower bud differentiation date and today's date information to the average temperature calculation unit 34.

[0065] Next, in step S18, the average temperature calculation unit 34 calculates the average temperature for the period of interest (second number of days) based on the flower bud differentiation date. If the period of interest (second number of days) is 30 days from the estimated flower bud differentiation date, the average temperature calculation unit 34 calculates the average of the daily average temperatures for that period. The flower bud differentiation date estimation unit 32 transmits the calculated average temperature, the flower bud differentiation date, and today's date information to the flower cluster determination / output unit 136.

[0066] Next, in step S20, the pruning determination and output unit 136 determines whether the average temperature obtained in step S18 is equal to or greater than a threshold (average temperature ≥ threshold). The threshold is, for example, 28°C.

[0067] If the judgment in step S20 is affirmed, that is, if the average temperature is 28°C or higher, the process proceeds to step S22', where the flower cluster determination and output unit 136 determines that the flower cluster in which the first flower bloomed today is subject to flower cluster removal, and outputs this to the user terminal 70. In this case, the display unit 193 of the user terminal 70 displays a screen as shown in Figure 14(a) (a screen indicating whether or not flower cluster removal is necessary for the flower cluster in which the first flower bloomed today). After that, the entire process shown in Figure 13 is completed.

[0068] On the other hand, if the judgment in step S20 is rejected, the flower cluster determination / output unit 136 proceeds to step S24', determines that the flower clusters included in the flowering flower cluster information are not subject to flower cluster removal, and outputs this to the user terminal 70. In this case, the display unit 193 of the user terminal 70 displays a screen as shown in Figure 14(b) (a screen indicating whether or not flower clusters whose first flower bloomed today need to be removed). After that, the entire process shown in Figure 13 is completed.

[0069] As described above, in this modified example 2, when today's date is entered into the user terminal 70, the display unit 193 of the user terminal 70 can display whether or not the flower cluster in which the first flower bloomed today should be removed (Figures 14(a), 14(b)).

[0070] In the above embodiments and modifications, the case in which the flower cluster thinning determination is performed is described as being performed on strawberries. However, the method is not limited to this, and the flower cluster thinning determination may also be performed on other crops that produce flower clusters.

[0071] In addition, in the above embodiments and modified examples, "greater than or equal to" and "less than or equal to" may be read as "greater than," "less than," or "less than," and "greater than," "less than," or "less than" may be read as "greater than or equal to" and "less than or equal to."

[0072] The above processing functions can be implemented by a computer. In this case, a program describing the processing content of the functions that the processing unit should have is provided. By executing this program on a computer, the above processing functions are implemented on the computer. The program describing the processing content can be recorded on a storage medium that can be read by a computer (except for carrier waves).

[0073] When distributing a program, it may be sold in the form of a portable storage medium such as a DVD (Digital Versatile Disc) or CD-ROM (Compact Disc Read Only Memory) on which the program is recorded. Alternatively, the program can be stored in the storage device of a server computer and transferred from the server computer to other computers via a network.

[0074] A computer executing a program stores programs, for example, those recorded on a portable storage medium or transferred from a server computer, in its own memory. The computer then reads the program from its memory and executes the processing according to the program. Alternatively, the computer can directly read the program from the portable storage medium and execute the processing according to that program. Furthermore, the computer can sequentially execute the processing according to the programs received as they are transferred from the server computer.

[0075] The embodiments described above are preferred examples of the present invention. However, the invention is not limited thereto, and various modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0076] 10. Crop Removal Judgment Server 12 Flowering detection server 14. Environmental Information Management Server 20. Focus Period / Threshold Identification Section 30 Flowering Information Acquisition Department 32 Flower bud differentiation date estimation part 34. Average temperature calculation unit 36 Tufting Judgment Department 38 Output section 40 Judgment result DB 70 User terminals 100 Agricultural Support Systems

Claims

1. We obtain information on the temperature of the growing environment for crops that produce flower clusters, and information on the first flowering date of a specific flower cluster. A reference date is identified by going back one number of days from the first flowering date of the aforementioned specific flower cluster, and based on the acquired temperature information, the average temperature for the second number of days after the reference date is calculated. If the calculated average temperature value is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold, the specific flower cluster will be selected for thinning. Outputs information on the flower clusters to be removed. An agricultural support method characterized by having a computer perform the processing.

2. The agricultural support method according to claim 1, characterized in that the first number of days is the number of days immediately before the sum of the average temperatures of each day counting back from the first flowering day reaches a predetermined value.

3. The agricultural support method according to claim 2, characterized in that the aforementioned reference date is the estimated flower bud differentiation date.

4. The agricultural support method according to claim 1, characterized in that, in the acquisition process, information on the first flowering date of the specific flower cluster is obtained from the results of analyzing images of the crop.

5. The agricultural support method according to claim 1, characterized in that the threshold is predetermined for each variety.

6. The agricultural support method according to claim 1, characterized in that the second number of days is a predetermined number of days or the number of days from the reference date to the first flowering date.

7. We obtain information on the temperature of the growing environment for crops that produce flower clusters. A reference date is identified by going back one number of days from a predetermined date, and based on the acquired temperature information, the average temperature for the second number of days after the reference date is calculated. If the calculated average temperature value is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold, the system outputs a statement indicating that the flower cluster on which the first flower bloomed on the predetermined day is the flower cluster to be thinned. An agricultural support method characterized by having a computer perform the processing.

8. We obtain information on the temperature of the growing environment for crops that produce flower clusters, and information on the first flowering date of a specific flower cluster. A reference date is identified by going back one number of days from the first flowering date of the aforementioned specific flower cluster, and based on the acquired temperature information, the average temperature for the second number of days after the reference date is calculated. If the calculated average temperature value is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold, the specific flower cluster will be selected for thinning. Outputs information on the flower clusters to be removed. An agricultural support program characterized by having a computer perform the processing.

9. We obtain information on the temperature of the growing environment for crops that produce flower clusters. A reference date is identified by going back one number of days from a predetermined date, and based on the acquired temperature information, the average temperature for the second number of days after the reference date is calculated. If the calculated average temperature value is equal to or greater than a predetermined threshold, the system outputs a statement indicating that the flower cluster on which the first flower bloomed on the predetermined day is the flower cluster to be thinned. An agricultural support program characterized by having a computer perform the processing.

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