CA2452078C - Method for harvesting seed from a coniferous tree - Google Patents
Method for harvesting seed from a coniferous tree Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- CA2452078C CA2452078C CA002452078A CA2452078A CA2452078C CA 2452078 C CA2452078 C CA 2452078C CA 002452078 A CA002452078 A CA 002452078A CA 2452078 A CA2452078 A CA 2452078A CA 2452078 C CA2452078 C CA 2452078C
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- pod
- seeds
- tree
- cones
- airborne
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired - Lifetime
Links
- 238000000034 method Methods 0.000 title claims description 12
- 238000003306 harvesting Methods 0.000 title claims description 11
- 238000003756 stirring Methods 0.000 claims description 4
- 238000011084 recovery Methods 0.000 abstract 1
- 102100033121 Transcription factor 21 Human genes 0.000 description 4
- 101710119687 Transcription factor 21 Proteins 0.000 description 4
- 230000035784 germination Effects 0.000 description 3
- 101100327310 Caenorhabditis elegans emb-27 gene Proteins 0.000 description 1
- 241000196324 Embryophyta Species 0.000 description 1
- 235000008124 Picea excelsa Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- 240000000020 Picea glauca Species 0.000 description 1
- 235000008127 Picea glauca Nutrition 0.000 description 1
- 238000000605 extraction Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000000463 material Substances 0.000 description 1
- 239000002184 metal Substances 0.000 description 1
- 238000012856 packing Methods 0.000 description 1
- 230000035515 penetration Effects 0.000 description 1
- 238000000926 separation method Methods 0.000 description 1
- 239000007787 solid Substances 0.000 description 1
Classifications
-
- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A01—AGRICULTURE; FORESTRY; ANIMAL HUSBANDRY; HUNTING; TRAPPING; FISHING
- A01D—HARVESTING; MOWING
- A01D46/00—Picking of fruits, vegetables, hops, or the like; Devices for shaking trees or shrubs
-
- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
- Y02A—TECHNOLOGIES FOR ADAPTATION TO CLIMATE CHANGE
- Y02A40/00—Adaptation technologies in agriculture, forestry, livestock or agroalimentary production
- Y02A40/10—Adaptation technologies in agriculture, forestry, livestock or agroalimentary production in agriculture
- Y02A40/22—Improving land use; Improving water use or availability; Controlling erosion
-
- Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
- Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
- Y02P—CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS
- Y02P60/00—Technologies relating to agriculture, livestock or agroalimentary industries
- Y02P60/40—Afforestation or reforestation
Landscapes
- Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
- Environmental Sciences (AREA)
- Pretreatment Of Seeds And Plants (AREA)
- Harvesting Machines For Specific Crops (AREA)
- Catching Or Destruction (AREA)
Abstract
A pod is lowered onto and then immediately removed from the crown of a coniferous tree, using a helicopter, at a time when the cones of the tree have opened. The pod has a conical and open-bottomed frame supporting a screen side wall. The base of the frame supports an internal annular open-top trough. The raising and lowering of the pod, coupled with the downdraft of the helicopter, causes mature seeds in the open cones to become airborne. The airborne seeds are contained by the side wall and drop into the trough for recovery.
Description
1 "METHOD FOR HARVESTING SEED FROM A CONIFEROUS TREE'°
2 FIELD OF THE INVENTION
3 The invention relates to a method for harvesting seeds from the cones of a
4 coniferous tree.
7 Collection of seeds from the cones of coniferous trees is required for 8 reforestation.
9 The cones are concentrated in the top third of the trees. These trees can grow to significant heights. For example, white spruce trees grow to a height in the order of 11 80 -150 feet.
12 It is conventional to harvest the cones when they are still closed and to recover 13 the contained seeds by artificially opening the cones. This is done at a time when the 14 cones are almost ready to open so that the seeds are as mature as possible.
The time period for harvesting the cones is short. Typically, they must be 16 harvested in August within a time frame of about 4 to 14 days.
17 The most commonly used prior art method known to us, for harvesting 18 coniferous seeds for reforestation, involves:
19 ~ felling the tree while the cones are still closed;
~ removing the branches carrying the closed cones and transporting them to a 21 central location;
22 ~ separating the closed cones from the branches, either manually or with an 23 appropriate machine;
{E3117126.DOC; i j 1 ~ packing the closed cones into bags and conveying them in refrigerated containers 2 to a separation facility; and 3 ~ recovering the seeds from the cones by curing them in a seed extraction plant.
4 In a variation of this system, a helicopter is used to lower a conical harvester over the crown of the tree. The harvester is equipped with a powered rotor having 6 fingers which will sever the branches from the trunk. The branches are recovered into 7 an attached receptacle. The entire assembly is then immediately removed and flown 8 to the central location where the cones are recovered from the branches and processed 9 as previously described.
This prior art system is characterized by several problems or shortcomings.
11 More particularly:
12 ~ the seeds tend to have lower germination if picked prematurely. This means 13 that the period of time available for optimum harvesting is narrowly limited, 14 as previously mentioned;
~ the process is labor intensive;
16 ~ the work to be done is compressed into such a short time period that one has 17 to use several helicopters and crews to harvest closed cones from a large 18 number of trees;
19 ~ the productivity of a helicopter and its supporting crew at the central location is affected by the number of cones on the trees being harvested; and 21 ~ the germination results obtained from seeds recovered in this manner are 22 typically uncertain. It is accepted in the industry that the best germination 23 results axe obtained when the cones have opened and the seeds are fully 24 mature.
2 {E3117126.DOC;1 ) 3 The present invention is concerned with a method for recovering fully mature, 4 airborne seeds from cones that have opened and are still attached to the tree.
In connection with practicing the method, we have used a device we refer to as 6 a pod. This pod comprises:
7 ~ an open-bottomed, hollow housing having a conical frame supporting a 8 permeable side wall which is at least partly formed from material, such as 9 netting or screen, having openings small enough to prevent the passage therethrough of airborne seeds produced by open cones on the tree;
11 ~ the base of the frame supports an internal, open-topped, annular trough for 12 collecting dropping seeds; and 13 ~ the housing has means for engaging a linear carrier, such as a cable, 14 extending downwardly from a helicopter, so that the helicopter may lower the pod onto and raise it from the crown of a tree and convey it to and from the 16 tree.
17 While the described pod is what we have used, it is cantemplated that the process 18 can be practiced using a pod having a solid side wall.
19 For purposes of the claims of this application, the term 'pod' is intended to mean:
~ a hollow open-bottomed housing sized to fit on the crown of a coniferous 21 tree, the housing having a side wall operative to contain airborne seeds 22 released by open cones attached to the tree;
23 ~ means, carried internally by the lower end of the housing, for collecting 24 dropping seeds; and 3 {E3117126.DOC; I }
1 ~ means, connected with the housing, for engaging a machine (for example, 2 a helicopter) for conveying the pod to and from the tree and lowering it onto 3 the crown and removing it therefrom.
4 ' In accordance with the invention, a method is provided for harvesting seeds from cones attached to the branches of the crown of a coniferous tree using a pod 6 having a side wall, the pod carrying internal means for collecting dropping seeds and 7 being connectable to a machine for conveying, raising and lowering the pod, 8 comprising:
9 ~ lowering the pod over the crown of the tree from the machine, at a time when cones on the tree have opened to expose contained mature seeds, so that 11 the pod stirs branches and causes seeds to leave open cones and become 12 airborne;
13 ~ containing the airborne seeds with the pod side wall so that they may drop 14 into the collecting means, while the pod remains connected to the machine;
and then 16 ~ raising the pod from the tree with the machine to recover the collected 17 seeds.
Figure 1 is a perspective view of one form of a seed collector pod useful in 21 practicing the method;
22 Figure 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the upper end of the pod of Figure 23 l;
4 {E3117126.DOC;1 }
1 Figure 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the lower end of the pod of Figure 2 1;
3 Figure 4 is a perspective view of a pod being lowered onto a coniferous tree;
4 and Figure 5 is a perspective view of the pod temporarily suspended in place on 6 the tree; and 7 Figure 6 is a perspective view showing the pod being removed.
$
The pod 1 of Figure 1 comprises a conical housing 2 comprising of an open-11 sided frame 3 supporting a permeable side wall 4 of netting 4a. The frame 3 12 comprises a large bottom ring 5 and a smaller top ring 6, joined by circumferentially 13 spaced apart struts 7. The housing 2 forms an internal, conical, open-ended 14 passageway 8.
An inwardly slanted, circular wall 9 extends upwardly from the bottom ring 5.
It 16 combines with the netting 4a to forth an annular, open-topped trough 10.
17 The netting 4a forms minute openings 11, sized to prevent the passage 1$ therethrough of airborne seeds produced by the open cones of a coniferous tree 13.
19 The openings 11 however permit ready penetration therethrough of sunlight, wind and rain. We use the netting or screen used on home screen doors.
21 A bale 14 extends upwardly from the top ring 6, for engagement with the hook 22 15 of a carrier 16, such as the downwardly extending cable of a helicopter.
23 The frame 3 and slanted wall 9 are suitably formed of sheet metal.
7 Collection of seeds from the cones of coniferous trees is required for 8 reforestation.
9 The cones are concentrated in the top third of the trees. These trees can grow to significant heights. For example, white spruce trees grow to a height in the order of 11 80 -150 feet.
12 It is conventional to harvest the cones when they are still closed and to recover 13 the contained seeds by artificially opening the cones. This is done at a time when the 14 cones are almost ready to open so that the seeds are as mature as possible.
The time period for harvesting the cones is short. Typically, they must be 16 harvested in August within a time frame of about 4 to 14 days.
17 The most commonly used prior art method known to us, for harvesting 18 coniferous seeds for reforestation, involves:
19 ~ felling the tree while the cones are still closed;
~ removing the branches carrying the closed cones and transporting them to a 21 central location;
22 ~ separating the closed cones from the branches, either manually or with an 23 appropriate machine;
{E3117126.DOC; i j 1 ~ packing the closed cones into bags and conveying them in refrigerated containers 2 to a separation facility; and 3 ~ recovering the seeds from the cones by curing them in a seed extraction plant.
4 In a variation of this system, a helicopter is used to lower a conical harvester over the crown of the tree. The harvester is equipped with a powered rotor having 6 fingers which will sever the branches from the trunk. The branches are recovered into 7 an attached receptacle. The entire assembly is then immediately removed and flown 8 to the central location where the cones are recovered from the branches and processed 9 as previously described.
This prior art system is characterized by several problems or shortcomings.
11 More particularly:
12 ~ the seeds tend to have lower germination if picked prematurely. This means 13 that the period of time available for optimum harvesting is narrowly limited, 14 as previously mentioned;
~ the process is labor intensive;
16 ~ the work to be done is compressed into such a short time period that one has 17 to use several helicopters and crews to harvest closed cones from a large 18 number of trees;
19 ~ the productivity of a helicopter and its supporting crew at the central location is affected by the number of cones on the trees being harvested; and 21 ~ the germination results obtained from seeds recovered in this manner are 22 typically uncertain. It is accepted in the industry that the best germination 23 results axe obtained when the cones have opened and the seeds are fully 24 mature.
2 {E3117126.DOC;1 ) 3 The present invention is concerned with a method for recovering fully mature, 4 airborne seeds from cones that have opened and are still attached to the tree.
In connection with practicing the method, we have used a device we refer to as 6 a pod. This pod comprises:
7 ~ an open-bottomed, hollow housing having a conical frame supporting a 8 permeable side wall which is at least partly formed from material, such as 9 netting or screen, having openings small enough to prevent the passage therethrough of airborne seeds produced by open cones on the tree;
11 ~ the base of the frame supports an internal, open-topped, annular trough for 12 collecting dropping seeds; and 13 ~ the housing has means for engaging a linear carrier, such as a cable, 14 extending downwardly from a helicopter, so that the helicopter may lower the pod onto and raise it from the crown of a tree and convey it to and from the 16 tree.
17 While the described pod is what we have used, it is cantemplated that the process 18 can be practiced using a pod having a solid side wall.
19 For purposes of the claims of this application, the term 'pod' is intended to mean:
~ a hollow open-bottomed housing sized to fit on the crown of a coniferous 21 tree, the housing having a side wall operative to contain airborne seeds 22 released by open cones attached to the tree;
23 ~ means, carried internally by the lower end of the housing, for collecting 24 dropping seeds; and 3 {E3117126.DOC; I }
1 ~ means, connected with the housing, for engaging a machine (for example, 2 a helicopter) for conveying the pod to and from the tree and lowering it onto 3 the crown and removing it therefrom.
4 ' In accordance with the invention, a method is provided for harvesting seeds from cones attached to the branches of the crown of a coniferous tree using a pod 6 having a side wall, the pod carrying internal means for collecting dropping seeds and 7 being connectable to a machine for conveying, raising and lowering the pod, 8 comprising:
9 ~ lowering the pod over the crown of the tree from the machine, at a time when cones on the tree have opened to expose contained mature seeds, so that 11 the pod stirs branches and causes seeds to leave open cones and become 12 airborne;
13 ~ containing the airborne seeds with the pod side wall so that they may drop 14 into the collecting means, while the pod remains connected to the machine;
and then 16 ~ raising the pod from the tree with the machine to recover the collected 17 seeds.
Figure 1 is a perspective view of one form of a seed collector pod useful in 21 practicing the method;
22 Figure 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the upper end of the pod of Figure 23 l;
4 {E3117126.DOC;1 }
1 Figure 3 is an enlarged perspective view of the lower end of the pod of Figure 2 1;
3 Figure 4 is a perspective view of a pod being lowered onto a coniferous tree;
4 and Figure 5 is a perspective view of the pod temporarily suspended in place on 6 the tree; and 7 Figure 6 is a perspective view showing the pod being removed.
$
The pod 1 of Figure 1 comprises a conical housing 2 comprising of an open-11 sided frame 3 supporting a permeable side wall 4 of netting 4a. The frame 3 12 comprises a large bottom ring 5 and a smaller top ring 6, joined by circumferentially 13 spaced apart struts 7. The housing 2 forms an internal, conical, open-ended 14 passageway 8.
An inwardly slanted, circular wall 9 extends upwardly from the bottom ring 5.
It 16 combines with the netting 4a to forth an annular, open-topped trough 10.
17 The netting 4a forms minute openings 11, sized to prevent the passage 1$ therethrough of airborne seeds produced by the open cones of a coniferous tree 13.
19 The openings 11 however permit ready penetration therethrough of sunlight, wind and rain. We use the netting or screen used on home screen doors.
21 A bale 14 extends upwardly from the top ring 6, for engagement with the hook 22 15 of a carrier 16, such as the downwardly extending cable of a helicopter.
23 The frame 3 and slanted wall 9 are suitably formed of sheet metal.
5 {E311712fi.DOC;1 }
In use, the pod 1 is lowered over the crown 17 of the tree 13, at a time when 2 the cones 20 have opened. The combination of moving the pod 1 on and off the 3 crown 17, coupled with the downdraft from the helicopter, is effective to stir the 4 branches 21 and cause seeds to leave the cones 20 and become airborne. The seeds are contained by the side wall 4 and some drop into the trough 10. The pod 1 is then
In use, the pod 1 is lowered over the crown 17 of the tree 13, at a time when 2 the cones 20 have opened. The combination of moving the pod 1 on and off the 3 crown 17, coupled with the downdraft from the helicopter, is effective to stir the 4 branches 21 and cause seeds to leave the cones 20 and become airborne. The seeds are contained by the side wall 4 and some drop into the trough 10. The pod 1 is then
6 removed by the helicopter and the seeds are recovered.
7
8 {E3117126.DOC;1}
Claims (2)
EXCLUSIVE PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS
FOLLOWS:
1. A method for harvesting seeds from cones attached to the branches of the crown of a coniferous tree using a pod, having a side wall capable of containing airborne seeds, the pod carrying internal means for collecting dropping seeds and being connected to a machine for conveying, raising and lowering the pod, comprising:
lowering the pod over the crown of the tree from the machine, at a time when cones on the tree have opened to expose contained mature seeds, so that the pod stirs branches and causes seeds to leave open cones and become airborne;
containing the airborne seeds with the pod side wall so that they drop into the collecting means, while the pod remains connected to the machine; and then raising the pod from the tree with the machine to recover the collected seeds.
lowering the pod over the crown of the tree from the machine, at a time when cones on the tree have opened to expose contained mature seeds, so that the pod stirs branches and causes seeds to leave open cones and become airborne;
containing the airborne seeds with the pod side wall so that they drop into the collecting means, while the pod remains connected to the machine; and then raising the pod from the tree with the machine to recover the collected seeds.
2. A method for harvesting seeds from cones attached to the branches of the crown of a coniferous tree using a pod having a permeable side wall having openings small enough to contain airborne seeds, the pod carrying an internal annular trough, at its lower end, for collecting dropping seeds, the pod being suspended from a helicopter, comprising:
lowering the pod over the crown of the tree at a time when cones on the tree have opened to expose contained mature seeds, so that the dropping pod and the downdraft from the helicopter stirs branches and causes seeds to leave open cones and become airborne;
containing the airborne seeds with the pod side wall so that they drop into the trough, while the pod remains suspended from the helicopter; and then raising the pod from the tree with the helicopter to recover the collected seeds.
lowering the pod over the crown of the tree at a time when cones on the tree have opened to expose contained mature seeds, so that the dropping pod and the downdraft from the helicopter stirs branches and causes seeds to leave open cones and become airborne;
containing the airborne seeds with the pod side wall so that they drop into the trough, while the pod remains suspended from the helicopter; and then raising the pod from the tree with the helicopter to recover the collected seeds.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002452078A CA2452078C (en) | 2003-12-05 | 2003-12-05 | Method for harvesting seed from a coniferous tree |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002452078A CA2452078C (en) | 2003-12-05 | 2003-12-05 | Method for harvesting seed from a coniferous tree |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2452078A1 CA2452078A1 (en) | 2005-06-05 |
| CA2452078C true CA2452078C (en) | 2007-02-06 |
Family
ID=34624344
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002452078A Expired - Lifetime CA2452078C (en) | 2003-12-05 | 2003-12-05 | Method for harvesting seed from a coniferous tree |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA2452078C (en) |
Families Citing this family (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CN114868527B (en) * | 2022-05-16 | 2024-08-06 | 云南省林业和草原科学院 | Deep-grain walnut fruit harvesting method based on unmanned aerial vehicle |
-
2003
- 2003-12-05 CA CA002452078A patent/CA2452078C/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| CA2452078A1 (en) | 2005-06-05 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| EEER | Examination request | ||
| MKEX | Expiry |
Effective date: 20231205 |