Broccoli Plant Multifloret Head Architecture for Mechanical Harvesting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current broccoli varieties are challenging to harvest and process mechanically due to their dense leaf canopy, which leads to costly manual labor and inefficient processing, resulting in non-uniform florets and increased production costs for the fresh and frozen industries.
Innovation Solution
A broccoli plant with the 'multifloret' and 'protruding' traits, where florets are arranged in a plane parallel to the ground, allowing for mechanical harvesting and processing with minimal hand labor, reducing the need for specialized equipment and improving floret uniformity and yield.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If broccoli is grown with abundant leaf canopy to protect and support the head, then the plant has good vigor and structure, but the dense leaves shade the head causing yellowing and obstruct mechanical harvesting
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the problematic abundant leaf canopy that causes shading and yellowing, while retaining the essential structural support functions. This extraction of excess leaves eliminates the harmful shading effect on the head, allowing uniform green coloration throughout, while the remaining plant structure continues to support mechanical harvesting operations.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of allowing abundant leaves to grow outward and shade the head, the invention inverts the growth pattern by directing foliage upward in a more compact arrangement. This inversion of the typical broccoli growth habit positions leaves above the head rather than surrounding it, eliminating shading while maintaining plant vigor and structural integrity for mechanical harvesting.
2Reliability
If broccoli heads are harvested manually to ensure quality, then the head quality is maintained, but labor costs increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the morphological parameters of the broccoli plant, specifically the head architecture and floret arrangement, to be compatible with mechanical harvesting. By modifying these physical parameters, the invention enables machine harvesting while maintaining head quality, thereby reducing labor costs without sacrificing reliability of product quality.
3Ease of manufacture
If broccoli heads are processed to separate individual florets, then the product is ready for frozen market, but the convex shape and dense packing make processing difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by arranging florets in a planar configuration rather than a convex three-dimensional structure. This planar arrangement naturally segments the florets into more accessible units, making it easier for processing equipment to separate and handle individual florets for the frozen market, while maintaining the compactness needed for efficient packing and transport.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention deals with new type of broccoli plant suitable for the industrial manufacture of broccoli heads and florets. The invention relates to broccoli plants producing a head that is flat, comprises multiple individualized florets and protrudes above the leaves making it easy to harvest by machine. The invention further deals with methods and uses of the broccoli plants, heads and florets for the manufacture of broccoli processed and/or packaged food products.