title: Bridging manual labour and mechanisation: Enhancing blueberry harvesting efficiency for New Zealand’s fresh market

authors: Sim, Sheau Lan (Alicia)

subjects: Blueberry harvest

abstract: This thesis addresses the challenges of fresh market blueberry harvesting in New Zealand, where rising global demand and labour shortages put pressure on traditional handharvesting methods. Although hand-picking remains the industry norm, it is labourintensive and costly. With global blueberry consumption projected to grow, developing efficient and sustainable harvesting methods is critical, particularly for local growers.
The core objective of this research was to develop a human-assisted mechanical harvesting system tailored for tunnel-grown fresh market blueberries. This system utilises lightweight, battery-powered handheld reciprocating shakers and multi-level soft surface catchers designed to reduce harvest damage, minimise ground loss, and improve fruit quality and yield. Performance assessments compared this system to traditional hand harvesting regarding post-harvest quality and harvest rate in field trials across two seasons.
The field trials yielded valuable findings. In Field Trial 1.0, the Catcher V1.0 showed promising results, achieving a harvest efficiency of up to 83.7%, slightly less than the 89.3% efficiency of hand-harvesting into buckets. In Field Trial 2.0, the optimised Shaker V2.0 had a harvest rate of 81.3 berries/min, outperforming traditional hand-harvesting into a bucket (71.8 berries/min) and hand-harvesting into Catcher V3.0 (80.3 berries/min). Notably, Catcher V3.0 caused the least berry damage (0.9%), confirming the benefits of its soft surface design.
For the Masena cultivar, optimal shaker settings were identified at 899 RPM and a shaking duration of 1.08 seconds, achieving a projected harvest performance score of 81.76%, with detachment accuracy of 93.21% and detachment efficiency of 96.53%.
Future research should focus on larger-scale trials, long-term economic analysis, and developing methods to assess bloom retention. The integration of machine vision could further enhance this system, enabling fully automated harvesting, even during nighttime operations. These innovations have the potential to improve efficiency and sustainability for New Zealand’s blueberry industry.

text: Bridging manual labour and mechanisation: Enhancing blueberry harvesting efficiency for New Zealand’s fresh market This thesis addresses the challenges of fresh market blueberry harvesting in New Zealand, where rising global demand and labour shortages put pressure on traditional handharvesting methods. Although hand-picking remains the industry norm, it is labourintensive and costly. With global blueberry consumption projected to grow, developing efficient and sustainable harvesting methods is critical, particularly for local growers.
The core objective of this research was to develop a human-assisted mechanical harvesting system tailored for tunnel-grown fresh market blueberries. This system utilises lightweight, battery-powered handheld reciprocating shakers and multi-level soft surface catchers designed to reduce harvest damage, minimise ground loss, and improve fruit quality and yield. Performance assessments compared this system to traditional hand harvesting regarding post-harvest quality and harvest rate in field trials across two seasons.
The field trials yielded valuable findings. In Field Trial 1.0, the Catcher V1.0 showed promising results, achieving a harvest efficiency of up to 83.7%, slightly less than the 89.3% efficiency of hand-harvesting into buckets. In Field Trial 2.0, the optimised Shaker V2.0 had a harvest rate of 81.3 berries/min, outperforming traditional hand-harvesting into a bucket (71.8 berries/min) and hand-harvesting into Catcher V3.0 (80.3 berries/min). Notably, Catcher V3.0 caused the least berry damage (0.9%), confirming the benefits of its soft surface design.
For the Masena cultivar, optimal shaker settings were identified at 899 RPM and a shaking duration of 1.08 seconds, achieving a projected harvest performance score of 81.76%, with detachment accuracy of 93.21% and detachment efficiency of 96.53%.
Future research should focus on larger-scale trials, long-term economic analysis, and developing methods to assess bloom retention. The integration of machine vision could further enhance this system, enabling fully automated harvesting, even during nighttime operations. These innovations have the potential to improve efficiency and sustainability for New Zealand’s blueberry industry.

year: 2024

title: History of the University of Waikato Campus

authors: Robson, John

subjects: University of Waikato

abstract: Based on earlier work by Evelyn Stokes and Max Oulton, this file shows, through maps and photographs, the development of buildings and the grounds of the University of Waikato campus in Hillcrest, Hamilton. It also shows the earlier history of the site from the arrival of Europeans to the creation of the University.

text: History of the University of Waikato Campus Based on earlier work by Evelyn Stokes and Max Oulton, this file shows, through maps and photographs, the development of buildings and the grounds of the University of Waikato campus in Hillcrest, Hamilton. It also shows the earlier history of the site from the arrival of Europeans to the creation of the University.

year: 2017

title: Media psychology, symbolic power and social justice in Aotearoa

authors: Hodgetts, Darrin

subjects: media

abstract: Psychologists reside in a world saturated by media. We work in professional contexts where guidelines for practice foreground ethical obligations to address issues of social justice. This paper addresses both these contextual dimensions of psychological research and practice. We explore the social significance of increased media production by Maori in challenging the tendency in mainstream media to marginalize Maori concerns while promoting Pakeha perspectives. The analysis focuses on the recent 'Inside Out documentary - Hikoi', which was initiated by two young Maori women as a challenge to media framing of Maori protests as 'unjustified' and 'disruptive' acts. We illustrate how this documentary furthers public dialogue regarding the foreshore and seabed controversy by promoting an alternative depiction of a Maori protest, which emphasize the history of grievances and social unity. The implications of such representations for psychologists working to address issues of social justice and to challenge abuses of symbolic power are discussed.

text: Media psychology, symbolic power and social justice in Aotearoa Psychologists reside in a world saturated by media. We work in professional contexts where guidelines for practice foreground ethical obligations to address issues of social justice. This paper addresses both these contextual dimensions of psychological research and practice. We explore the social significance of increased media production by Maori in challenging the tendency in mainstream media to marginalize Maori concerns while promoting Pakeha perspectives. The analysis focuses on the recent 'Inside Out documentary - Hikoi', which was initiated by two young Maori women as a challenge to media framing of Maori protests as 'unjustified' and 'disruptive' acts. We illustrate how this documentary furthers public dialogue regarding the foreshore and seabed controversy by promoting an alternative depiction of a Maori protest, which emphasize the history of grievances and social unity. The implications of such representations for psychologists working to address issues of social justice and to challenge abuses of symbolic power are discussed.

year: 2004-11-19