Functionalities of Harvesting Machines for Industrial Intercropping Use Cases

The following paper presents functionalities of harvesting machines for industrial intercropping use cases and a typology of their applications. The aim is to support the design and development of novel intercropping harvesting machines that are required for the implementation of industrial intercropping systems. Building upon established intercropping use cases, distinctive features and their variations are outlined, and a morphology created. The morphology is then used to develop typologies of industrial intercropping use cases, which capture various manifestations of future industrial intercropping harvesting. Based on the types, functionalities for harvesting machines are derived. Given the transformative potential of this research, it is evident that substantial modifications to existing systems are essential. The envisioned machinery requires for most use cases sophisticated software integration, encompassing data analysis, artificial intelligence, and robotics. This paper identifies the unmet needs within the realm of industrial intercropping. It also creates an understanding of the industrial use cases and presents a concept of the required harvesting technologies, thereby contributing to a more sustainable future in agriculture.