A feasibility study of mechanized hazelnut harvesting in the UK

该项目将收集所有必要的信息，以评估在英国机械收获榛子的可行性。主要目标是能够在气候适应能力更强的生态系统中进行收割，例如在有大量草或残茬覆盖的情况下进行收割。这将使榛子能够在商业上可行的农林系统中与其他生产性作物一起生产。为农民提供更多样化的收入来源，而无需过多的化学投入。通过访问欧洲榛子生产领导者，我们旨在获取有关当前商业坚果农场实践的详细信息，现有的机器如何执行和批发商如何满足当前的需求。有了这些知识收集的几个测试将在英国完成，为概念机器的证明创造广泛的代表性条件，评估。

This project will gather all the necessary information to assess the feasibility of mechanical harvesting of hazelnuts in the UK. The primary objective being to enable harvesting in a more climatically resilient ecosystem, such as harvesting with significant grass or stubble cover. This would permit hazelnuts to be produced in a commercially viable agroforestry system alongside other productive crops. Giving farmers a more diversified income stream without requiring excessive chemical inputs.By visiting European leaders in hazelnut production we aim to capture detailed information on current commercial nut farm practice, how existing machinery performs and how wholesalers are supplying current demand.With this knowledge gathered several tests will be completed in the UK creating a wide range of representative conditions for a proof of concept machine to be assessed.