Tractor-Mounted Limb Shaker for Harvesting Citrus

ABSTRACT A tractor-mounted limb shaker was developed to reduce investment cost of a mechanical harvesting system for citrus. The shaker boom operated best over the tractor hood in high canopy trees, but was at a disad-vantage when clamping low limbs. Harvesting rate was 40 trees/h at a 95 percent fruit removal efficiency in chemically loosened oranges, but only 12 trees/h in un-treated oranges. Removing the shaker assembly from the tractor required 4.25 man»h and 9.5 man»h were re-quired to remount the shaker on the tractor.