Sugar cane yield mapping
View Patent ↗Sugar cane yield mapping improves the efficiency of sugar cane farming with benefits to both sugar producers and consumers.
1. A method for monitoring sugar cane yield comprising:
separating a sugar cane billet from a flow of billets in a sugar cane harvesting machine;
measuring sugar content of the separated billet;
recording the location from which the separated billet was harvested; and,
mapping the sugar content based the location.
2. The method of claim 1 , the separating achieved by deflecting the billets from the flow using an air cannon.
3. The method of claim 2 , the air cannon separating billets obtained from the bottom of sugar cane stalks.
4. The method of claim 1 , the sugar content determined by optical refractometry.
5. The method of claim 1 , the location determined by a GNSS receiver.
6. The method of claim 1 , the measuring sugar content performed on the sugar cane harvesting machine.
7. A sugar cane yield monitoring system comprising:
a sugar cane billet separator that separates a sugar cane billet from a flow of billets in a sugar cane harvesting machine;
an in-line sugar cane analysis system that measures sugar content of the separated billet; and,
a GNSS receiver in communication with the sugar cane analysis system to provide location information for the selected billets.
8. The system of claim 7 , the separator comprising an air cannon.
9. The system of claim 8 , further comprising a pneumatic sensor system in communication with the air cannon such that the air cannon separates a billet obtained from the bottom of a sugar cane stalk.
10. The system of claim 7 , the in-line sugar cane analysis system comprising an optical refractometer.