Current Status and Analysis of Key Technologies in Automatic Transplanters for Vegetables in China

Transplanting is a critical step in vegetable production, and the application of automatic transplanters can significantly reduce labor intensity, improve production efficiency, and enhance the precision and consistency of operations. However, automatic transplanters are structurally complex, with d...

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Main Authors: Bo Cheng, Huarui Wu, Huaji Zhu, Jie Liang, Yisheng Miao, Youlin Cui, Weitang Song
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-11-01
Series:Agriculture
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/14/12/2168
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author Bo Cheng
Huarui Wu
Huaji Zhu
Jie Liang
Yisheng Miao
Youlin Cui
Weitang Song
author_facet Bo Cheng
Huarui Wu
Huaji Zhu
Jie Liang
Yisheng Miao
Youlin Cui
Weitang Song
author_sort Bo Cheng
collection DOAJ
description Transplanting is a critical step in vegetable production, and the application of automatic transplanters can significantly reduce labor intensity, improve production efficiency, and enhance the precision and consistency of operations. However, automatic transplanters are structurally complex, with diverse components, each design and function offering its own advantages and limitations. To assist industry professionals in quickly understanding and selecting transplanters suited to specific crops and environments, this paper reviews three key technologies in current vegetable transplanters: planting mechanisms, automated seedling picking and placing, and tray conveyance. Each technology is classified, compared, and analyzed to evaluate its applicability. Based on the current state of technology, the paper identifies major challenges in the development of vegetable transplanters in China, including insufficient integration of machinery and agronomy, high demands for equipment adaptability, lack of standardized systems, and delays in the development of core technologies for fully automated transplanting. Solutions are proposed for each of these issues. Finally, the paper discusses future directions for the development of automatic transplanters, including enhancing transplanting efficiency, achieving autonomous navigation, digitalizing operations, developing supporting systems for transplanting, and unmanned transplanting.
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spelling doaj-art-b925cde686b04a20b753a09c001d2eaa2025-08-20T02:55:42ZengMDPI AGAgriculture2077-04722024-11-011412216810.3390/agriculture14122168Current Status and Analysis of Key Technologies in Automatic Transplanters for Vegetables in ChinaBo Cheng0Huarui Wu1Huaji Zhu2Jie Liang3Yisheng Miao4Youlin Cui5Weitang Song6National Engineering Research Center for Information Technology in Agriculture, Beijing 100097, ChinaNational Engineering Research Center for Information Technology in Agriculture, Beijing 100097, ChinaNational Engineering Research Center for Information Technology in Agriculture, Beijing 100097, ChinaNational Engineering Research Center for Information Technology in Agriculture, Beijing 100097, ChinaNational Engineering Research Center for Information Technology in Agriculture, Beijing 100097, ChinaNational Engineering Research Center for Information Technology in Agriculture, Beijing 100097, ChinaCollege of Water Resources and Civil Engineering, China Agricultural University, Beijing 100083, ChinaTransplanting is a critical step in vegetable production, and the application of automatic transplanters can significantly reduce labor intensity, improve production efficiency, and enhance the precision and consistency of operations. However, automatic transplanters are structurally complex, with diverse components, each design and function offering its own advantages and limitations. To assist industry professionals in quickly understanding and selecting transplanters suited to specific crops and environments, this paper reviews three key technologies in current vegetable transplanters: planting mechanisms, automated seedling picking and placing, and tray conveyance. Each technology is classified, compared, and analyzed to evaluate its applicability. Based on the current state of technology, the paper identifies major challenges in the development of vegetable transplanters in China, including insufficient integration of machinery and agronomy, high demands for equipment adaptability, lack of standardized systems, and delays in the development of core technologies for fully automated transplanting. Solutions are proposed for each of these issues. Finally, the paper discusses future directions for the development of automatic transplanters, including enhancing transplanting efficiency, achieving autonomous navigation, digitalizing operations, developing supporting systems for transplanting, and unmanned transplanting.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/14/12/2168vegetablesautomatic transplantertransplanting mechanismsautomated seeding picking and placingtray conveyance systems
spellingShingle Bo Cheng
Huarui Wu
Huaji Zhu
Jie Liang
Yisheng Miao
Youlin Cui
Weitang Song
Current Status and Analysis of Key Technologies in Automatic Transplanters for Vegetables in China
Agriculture
vegetables
automatic transplanter
transplanting mechanisms
automated seeding picking and placing
tray conveyance systems
title Current Status and Analysis of Key Technologies in Automatic Transplanters for Vegetables in China
title_full Current Status and Analysis of Key Technologies in Automatic Transplanters for Vegetables in China
title_fullStr Current Status and Analysis of Key Technologies in Automatic Transplanters for Vegetables in China
title_full_unstemmed Current Status and Analysis of Key Technologies in Automatic Transplanters for Vegetables in China
title_short Current Status and Analysis of Key Technologies in Automatic Transplanters for Vegetables in China
title_sort current status and analysis of key technologies in automatic transplanters for vegetables in china
topic vegetables
automatic transplanter
transplanting mechanisms
automated seeding picking and placing
tray conveyance systems
url https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0472/14/12/2168
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