Comprehensive performance assessment of an over-the-row olive harvester

Purpose: This study aimed to assess the performance of an Over-The-Row (OTR) olive harvester, emphasizing the need for a mechanical harvesting plan that improves efficiency, minimizes damage to both fruit and trees, and ensures sustainable production in olive orchards.Methods: The performance of the OTR harvester was evaluated under two forward speeds (2 and 3 km h -1 ) and two shaking frequencies (7.2 and 7.8 Hz) for the Arbosana and Arbequina olive varieties.The assessment criteria included machine productivity, energy consumption, harvester efficiency (considering machine field efficiency, fruit removal percentage, and the percentage of fruits collected inside the machine box), fruit damage (assessed by bruising incidence, cut fruits, fruit firmness, and color index), and the olive trees damage.An Overall Evaluation Criterion (OEC) was developed based on the relative weight of each evaluation criterion, with weights assigned according to their significance.Results: The highest OEC value for the Arbosana variety (94.5 %) was achieved at a forward speed of 3 km h -1 and a shaking frequency of 7.2 Hz.Similarly, for the Arbequina variety, the highest OEC value (93.9 %) was recorded at the same forward speed and shaking frequency combination.These results suggest that the combination of 3 km h -1 forward speed and 7.2 Hz shaking frequency improves the harvester's performance for both olive varieties. Conclusions:The OEC provides a comprehensive assessment of the OTR olive harvester's performance, highlighting key operational parameters that maximize harvesting efficiency while minimizing fruit and tree damage.Maximizing the OEC is critical for improving the mechanical harvesting process in olive orchards, ensuring both high efficiency and product quality.