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Onion: harvesting and post-harvesting

mechanized operations.

Conference Paper October 2004

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 Onion: harvesting and post- harvesting mechanized
operations

Dr. Lorenzo M. Abenavoli

Institute of Agricultural Engineering (DiSTAFA) University Mediterranea of Reggio Calabria -
Italy - laben@unirc.it
Dr. Ferruccio Giametta
Institute of Agricultural Engineering (DiSTAFA) , University Mediterranea of Reggio Calabria -
Italy - ferruccio.giametta@unirc.it
Dr. Stefano Morabito
Institute of Agricultural Engineering (DiSTAFA) , University Mediterranea of Reggio Calabria -
Italy stefano.morabito@unirc.it

Written for presentation at the

2004 CIGR International Conference Beijing
Sponsored by CIGR, CSAM and CSAE
Beijing, China
11- 14 October 2004
Abstract. Onion (Allium cepa L.) growing is a widespread farming practice in Italy where a number of
both early and late white, yellow, red-tunic onion varieties are cropped which differ in their
orgalnoleptic properties as a function of their final use: either consumption as fresh produce or
industrial processing. Over the last few years an increase in the price of this vegetable has been
registered on the market, which has resulted in a strong impulse towards mechanization of onion
cropping operations. Harvesting alone, if performed manually, accounts for more than 50% of total
production costs. Mechanized harvesting (by means of onion pullers, windrowers, harvesters and,
possibly, stem cutters), instead, results in work productivity 5 to 6 times higher than that of manual
operations. Also post-harvesting operations, i.e. produce packaging for presentation on the market
should be adequately mechanized to reduce production costs. This obviously calls for a full re-
arrangement of the entire production cycle from seedbed preparation, to transplantation, harvesting
and post-harvesting operations.
Now, in consideration of the above remarks, some mechanized onion harvesting and post-harvesting
tests were performed with modern machines on plots cropped with modern methods, which gave
highly satisfatory results.
Keywords. Mechanization, harvest, post-harvest, onions.

1
Introduction
Onion (Allium cepa L.) growing is a quite widespread, albeit uneven, farming practice on the entire
Italian territory. As shown by official statistics [Istat 2001], the regions where this crop is mostly
concentrated are Emilia-Romagna (with about 3,000 hectares of onion crops), and Veneto (with
about 2,000 hectares of onion crops). In fact, these two regions account for a total of about 48% of
the entire national onion growing area.
In 2001 the total national farming land destined to onion cropping was about 13,761 hectares, with
an overall yield of about 430,000 tons [Istat 2001].
In the 1992-2001 period the productivity of this crop on the whole national territory was quite variable
reaching about 40 t/ha in some Northern Italy late varieties and about 20 t/ha in some Southern Italy
early varieties. The national average was therefore 31 t/ha, which is remarkably lower than the
European average, which amounts to 55 t/ha. Such a gap can be mainly ascribed to the peculiar
pedoclimatic conditions of the areas destined to the crop in question which do not lend themeselves
to the diffusion of hybrid varieties coming rom other environments (Japan, etc.).

Figure 1 Onion growing surface and production in Italy 1992/2001

520,000 20,000
Surface Production
18,000
500,000
16,000
480,000
Total production (t)

14,000

Surface (ha)
12,000
460,000
10,000
440,000
8,000

420,000 6,000

4,000
400,000
2,000

380,000 0
1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001
Reference years

Over the same (1992 2001) decade the extent of the onion growing surface in Italy underwent
major changes: a shrinkage of about 4,000 ha was registered together with important fluctuations in
terms of production characterized by remarkable lows in the last few year (420,000 tons in 2001, Fig.
1).

2
In the same period the pronounced fragmentation of the surfaces destined to onion growing (about 1
hectar for small- and medium -sized farms) was progressively counteracted by a trend towards
increasing the extent of their surfaces (5-6 ha) on the part of large farms.
These two factors, i.e. increase in farm surface and a more elevated specialization in terms of
cropping operations, allow for more mechanization-oriented investments.
Onions play a relatively important role within vegetable exports with more than 5,000 tons exported
per year [FAO, 2000]; in spite of this, the production of this vegetable is hindered by the presence of
an elevated number of crop varieties (which sometimes has a negative impact on produce
standardization), and also by the high production costs incurred where mechanized operations are
extremely rare (e.g. Italy).
The ever-growing production costs have also harmed the entire Italian sector of vegetable growing
thus impairing the competitiveness of the entire production. In particular, harvesting operations alone,
if hand-made, call for labour costs that account for more than 50% of the total production costs.
The use of machines, from infield harvesting operations onwards, is however still linked to the
adoption of more rational cropping techniques meant to improve soil conditions in a view to obtaining
more efficient water draining and favouring the operation of machines. Of equal importance is also
the rationalization of seedbed preparation and transplantation operations expected to result in an
even growth of the plants. What is more, the costs of post-harvesting operations should also be
taken into account, because, due to the features of the produce in question, these operations can
turn out to be particularly expensive vwhen performed manually. Therefore the need is felt to act and
adopt new measures in terms of both produce enhancement and improvement of mechanization
level in the different production realities.
In addition, to retain the appreciation of consumers while as suring a fair remuneration to producers, it
remains crucial to supply a product that meets the demand for quality of the market as well as the
requirements of EU regulations [EC Regulation n.2213/83].
For this reason, the same attention and care devoted to this vegetable over its entire crop cycle
should also be given to those post-harvesting operations (sorting, calibration, control, grading,
packing, etc.) likely to contribute to a good presentation of the produce on the market.
Many and diverse are the technological innovations developed by farming machine producers for the
mechanization of the above operations.
The systems used to grade produce in terms of both size and weight which were mainly used in the
past were essentially mechanical. Their operation was mostly based on vibrating planes with
differently-sized holes, revolving drums with holes, ad-hoc sized screws or on mechanisms
uverturning of specific fruit-containing casings onto different collection areas according to their weight.
Today these old systems are losing ground to electronic grading systems, which essentially rely on
optical thecnology. By means of image acquisition and image processing techniques made possible
by one or more than one computer-aided camera, this technology is able to detect geometrical
dimensions required for produce rating.
By processing produce images, the machines equipped with optical systems perform sorting
operations based on the parameters of the external appearance of the fruit in questioin such as color,
presence of surface defects, etc. [Guidetti R. et al., 1999].
Electronic size grading machines (graders) are high-precision machines with multiple options in
terms of sorting programs and gentle produce manipulation.
In the regions of southern Italy, however, mechanical sorting machines remain the only option
available to the prevailingly small farms that cannot afford the high costs of modern machines. To be

3
sure, producers are by now putting on the market optical graders which are particularly adapted to
small/medium-sized plots and which have reduced costs in terms of both purchase and operation.
It is just this kind of machines that are met with a certain success by vegetable growers.
The aim of the present study was therefore to supplement the results of infield mechanized
harvesting tests with an analysis of the results of the post-harvesting operations performed by one of
the optical graders in question.
As to the machine under study, its grading efficiency was measured within the quality requirements
set forth by EC Regulation n. 2213/83 which are rather strict in terms of size tolerance.
Mechanized harvesting
Onion harvesting time varies according to the biological cycle of the plant, which generally goes from
mid-May, for very early varieties, to late August, for late varieties. The best harvesting time occurs
when plant leaves become naturallyyellow and dry; in this period the crop is visibly without collar
due to the spontaneous fall of its leaf apparatus. In this phase bulbs are still sufficiently green and
exhibit a good resistance to traumas likely to be caused by the action of machines, as well as better
preservation potentials when compared meant to speed up plant drying to put forward harvesting
time should not be advised as they are likely to result in an incomplete maturation of the bulbs (with a
15% decrease in production in some cases) and a shorter preservation time.
Hand-made harvesting operations, even if still performed in a few cases, are no longer a viable
option today for many reasons including their reduced economic yield, the competition from other
industrialized countries which may boast a large-scale adoption of farming mechanization, as well as
the competition from less industrialized countries which may rely on a much lower labour cost.
Mechanized harvesting operations, instead, allow for a greater productivity of labour. These
operations usually imply the use of two different types of machines that operate one after the other
diggers/pullers and harvesters.
The former pull bulbs out of the soil, separate produce from sods and place them in windrows; the
latter pick up produce, additionally cleaning it from soil residues for it to be moved to different kinds
of containers.
An interval of about one or two weeks usually elapses betw een the operations performed by the two
machines. During this period bulbs reach the right level of tunic drying. This interval is particularly
useful for those onions destined to preservation as they acquire their typical color and are better
cleaned of the remaining soil residues.
The diggers/pullers presently used vary according to their operational mechanism, they are usually
tractor-driven and therefore the transmission of motion to their components comes from the
horsepower drive of tractors. The operational mechanism may be made of a continous or a
discontinuous blade, which may be vibrating or fixed, which penetrates soil down to a depth of a few
centimeters (5-6 cm) underheath bulb roots. The action of the blade into the soil, combined to the
advancement of the machine, crumbles the soil and pulls bulbs out separating them from their roots
due to the shearing stress.
Other machines utilize other operational mechanisms relying on a revolving cylindrical bar that
replaces the above blade. These machines are particularly suitable to lightor medium-texture soils.
Still other machines, readily adjustable to all kinds of soils, are equipped with rotating disks placed at
specific angles so as to lift soil and pull bulbs out.
The width of the surface coverd by the operating machines may vary from 1 to 1.5 m while their
mean speed may range from 2.5 3.5 km/h. Pullers are usually equipped with self-adjusting
mechanisms that accommodate the different slopes of the crops.

4
Figure 2 Scheme of an onion harvester

(1) Collecting belt

(2) Counter belt
(3) Sorting bed and interchangeable oscillating grids
(4) Hydraulic group

Once out of the soil with their roots cut, onions are generally grasped at the level of their stems by
special rubber fingersplaced on cross flights connected to an endless belt and moved by means of
a chain cleaning conveyor belt made of rubber-coated steel rods that separate produce from soil
residues, sods, stones and other foreign bodies and convey onions towards the back of the machine
where they are made to fall onto the soil. Onions fall is favoured by rubber slipways through which
vegetables form windorows of about 70-80 cm. immediately before their fall a straightening roller
placed under the machine levels the soil. This latter operation is very important as it guarantees a
good performance for the next harvesting phase, which occurs after produce drying.
Onion harvesting is usually performed by driven machines made of a pick-up with an operation front
of 70-80 cm; the pick-up is then followed by a cleaning conveyor belt and by sorting and unloading
mechanisms. The operation of all the machine mechanisms is guaranteed by the power drive of the
tractor.
Harvest takes place through the concurrent operation of two endless rubber belts, i.e. a lifting
conveyor belt and a counterbelt. This latter, placed at the level of the windrow is made of a steel
cylindrical bar normal to the direction of advancement. This axis is equipped with rotating rubber
shovels that push produce towards the lifter [Giametta G., 1986]. In this phase a first cleaning occurs
with the removal of soil and other foreign residues from produce that is then conveyed through the
belt to the sorting bed were the operators (generally two), stansing on lateral footboards perform an
additional cleaning of the vegetables. In the next phase onions are unloaded into boxes, or into bins,
or even, by means of an additional conveyor belt, placed on trailer put at the side of the machine.

5
Harvested produce is then moved to processing businesses to undergo stem-cutting (removal of a
part of leaves and bulbs) and grading operations. Some models of harvesters are also equipped with
stem cutters to be used during infield operations.
The average operation capacity of an onion puller is about 0.35 ha/h with an average advancement
speed of the machine of about 3 km/h and a percentage of damaged produce of 1%. The average
operation capacity of an onion harvester is 0.13 ha/h (i.e. 4.6 t/h of produce) with an average
advancement speed of 1 km/h. In terms of processing quality, the amount of produce harvested
reaches about 97% of the total amount of onions cropped, 90% of which turn out to have untouched
bulbs [Giametta G., 1986].
The operations performed with onion pullers require manpower of about 3 h-labourer/ha whereas
onion harvesters call for 40 h-labourer/ha for a total of 43 h-labourer/ha. Now, if we consider that
hand-made harvesting operations require 200-250 h-labourer /ha, we may easily infer that harvest
mechanization results in a 5-6-fold increase in productivity.
In addition to these machines, other kinds of machines are available on the market which may be
both self-propelled or tractor-driven and may perform the above operations (pulling and harvesting)
in one only phase, while onions are unloaded directly onto trailers placed on one side of the
machines. Even if allowing for a doubling of productivity when compared to the former, these latter
machines have not been met with success in our regions. Actually they have special needs both in
terms of soil texture (sandy and well levelled) and in terms of horsepower required. In addition the
amount of soil harvested with produce turns out to be larger (1-2%) as there occurs no drying interval.
Being rather sophisticated, these machines are much more expensive with often unaffordable
repayment times and maintainance costs as they are supposed to be used on very large surfaces
which is usually not the case for the average Italian farm.
Post-harvesting processing
The sorting processing line under study relies on systems of camera-aided vision systems.
The processing line is fed by either mechanical or manual overturning of the onion containing boxes
on a conveyor system made of revolving cylinders intended to favour the formation of one only layer
of bulbs. In this phase control and hand removal operations for produce visibile defects could be
performed.
This first phase is followed by the operation of four devices meant to place individual onions on four
conveyor belts made of a succession of double trucated-cone rollers: each bulb finds its way to the
room (sector) that occurs between the same rollers.
These conveyor belts move bulbs to a vision chamber where a camera takes pictures of the bulbs as
they move along two adjacent channels. When onions enter the vision chamber the double cones
supporting them start rotating thus causing also onions to rotate for cameras to acquire images of
their entire surface.
In this manner the acquisition of four frames takes place for each bulb. These picture frames are
then transferred to an acquisition card by means of an analogic-digital converter and put in a
computer.

Figure 3 Scheme of an optical grader

6
 (7)
(6) (4) (3) (2)

(1)

(5)
(8)

(1) Loading plane

(2) Manual
ppplane sorting
planeoorsector
(3) Singulators
(4) Double truncated-cone roller conveyor belts
(5) Electronic control system
(6) Vision Chamber
(7) Sorted produce outlets
(8) Packing beds

Once the produce size parameters have been detected, the computer destines onions to their
relevant outlets under a selection program set by the operator. An impulse that operates an ejection
system (with a tang) near the outlet that corresponds to the size of the produce in question, moves
every single onion from the conveyor belts to the processing lines were skilled workers perform
packing operations.
The number of outlets may vary as a function of the need for and availability of space.
In our study the outlets of the line under consideration were four plus one destined to waste products
and to produce that had eluded grading operations.
The screen of the computer connected to the machine enables to display the following data:
1) Measure of the maximum length of the section normal to the polar axis of the bulb (maximum
equatorial diameter);
2) Lenght of the polar axis;
3) Volume.
The determination of the work capacity of the machine under study was made by determing the filling
percentage of the sectors destined to produce units on the roller conveyor belts by applying the
following relation:
C = V x 3600 x R x n [onions / h],
where:
C = work capacity;
V = velocit expressed in sectors/sec;
R = filling percentage of sectors;
n = number of channels [Ragni, 1996].

7
Some tests were performed which were intended to determine the accuracy of grading operations by
the processing line under study.
Twenty sample onions with varying sizes and shapes were selected in order to assess the
performance of the grading devices in the different cases.
Bulbs were given numbers and the maximum lengths of the sections normal to the bulb axes were
measured to assess compliance with the laws enforced [EC Regulation n. 2213/83] in the field of
grading of most fruits and vegetables.
The above length is commonly referred to as maximum equatorial diameter even if the section
normal to the bulb axis, having a longer diameter than the other sections, is seldom found in the
median section.
The bulbs were then placed, one after the other, onto the conveyor belts of the machine to be moved
through the image acquisition chamber.
Ten repeats were performed for each bulb. Tests were repeated at two speeds of the conveyor belts:
0.6 m/sec and 0.8 m/sec, which corresponded to about 6 sectors/sec and 8 sectors/sec, respectively.
During the transition of every single bulb through the chamber the values of diameters measured by
the machine were stored in a PC.
The data provided by the grader were compared to those of manual grading.
A 70% filling percentage of the sectors destined to the fruits on the belts was registered for the
grader under study. The above percentage remained steady at the different speeds. As mentioned in
the previous section the computation of work capacity was performed which turned out to be very
high at maximum speed, i.e. 81,000 bulbs/h.
It should be considered that filling percentage depends on the shape of produce. In the presence of
spherical forms filling can reach 85%, but in the presence of less rounded shapes, as is the case with
onions, lemmons, pears, etc., this percentage tends to decrease together with work capacity.
Labour requirement is on average around 16 units for the entire sorting line.
During periods of intense activity when machines are in full operation, the use of manpower may
even register a 50% increase.
The increase in the work capacity of optical graders may be obtained by either increasing the
number of processing lines or by increasing the speed of conveyor belts.
Thanks to the great advances registered in terms of sensor technology, and in terms of the improved
performance of both image and data processors used for grading, today it has become possible to
work at elevated velocities without impairing the quality and the gentleness of the grading
operations and remarkably increasing the work capacity of these machines.
Now, considering that E.C. Regulation n. 2213/83, that establishes the quality parameters for onions,
is quite strict as it tolerates only 10% of onions that do not meet the established size in terms of
number and weight, and a plus/minus 20% depature in terms of diameter established for the size in
question, we deemed it necessary to assess the absolute error in terms of absolute value (|Ea|) of
the measurements made on the bulbs by the two graders compared to the real size. In short, the gap
(in absolute values) between the equatorial diameterof the bulbs given by the machine and that
given by the reference tools was assessed.

8
Once three error intervals had been established (0 |Ea| < 2; 2 |Ea| <5; 5 |Ea| 7), also the
percentages of cases falling within these intervals was assessed.

Fig. 4 Percentage of observed cases on three intervals of absolute error (mm) in absolute value
|Ea|

58%
ranges

60% 54%
tre range
three

50% 41% 43%

forper

40%
osservazioni
observations
di |Ea|
|Ea|

30%
of
of thedelle

20%
Risultato

10% 4%
2%
Result

0%
v = 0,6
0.6m/s
m/s v v==0.8
0,8m/s
m/s n 0 = |Ea| < 2
Velocit?di prova (v)
(v)
Test velocity n 2 = |Ea| < 5
n 5 = |Ea| = 7

The grader under study turned out to be quite accurate. Actually, considering the interval of absolute
error between 5 and 7 mm, only 2% of the measurement made at a 0.6 m/sec velocity and 4% of the
measurements made at a 0.8 m/sec velocity turned out to be affected by such an error. At the same
test velocities respectively 41% and 43% of the bulbs were readand measured with an absolute
error in absolute value lower than 2 mm, which was even lower than 1 mm in most of cases. Even if
with other kinds of produce they are able to reach even higher accuracy levels, the results given by
the optical graders used in this study may be considered to be satisfactory if we consider that the
high level of automation of these sorting lines favours a greater labour saving when compared to
alternative sorting systems. In addition, thanks to the materials used, and the technical quirks
adopted to dampen shocks during produce processing, an extremely gentle manipulation of produce
occurred at both the speeds under investigations.
Test repeats have also highlighted a good level of homogeneity of the redings of the diameter
made on the same samples during successive passages before the camera. Considering the
standard deviation to analyze the variability of the data collected compared to their average, it has

9
been observed that the average value was 0.90 at the lower speed and 0.97 at the higher speed (0.8
m/sec). The variation coefficient was 1.23 at 0.6 m/sec and 1.3 at 0.8 m/sec.
The initial investment required to buy modern machines for post-harvesting sorting operation may
deter small farms from purchasing them. As to onions, the productive reality is essentially made of
small farms unlikely to be willing to make such an important investment. Perhaps one should
consider that modern machines have a great versatility as they are designed to process different
fruits and may for this reason guarantee a very elevated level of utilization all the year round. Such a
factor contributes to lower the unit cost of sorting operations thus re-paying those who make use of
such systems for their initial investment. Therefore the remakable benefits should be considered in
terms of quality of selected produce, labour saving, possiblity of varying sorting programs as a
function of the different needs of the market, not to mention the availability on the market today of
diverse types of machines able to meet a myriad of different needs in terms of work capacity, overall
dimension, etc.

Conclusion
On the basis of the results of the different harvesting tests performed, it is clear that the
mechanization of this sector is really needed to assure a certain level of competitiveness on the
market. As harvesting and post-harvesting operations have been observed to be the farming
practices with the highest impact on production costs, a greater importance should be attached by
researchers to the study of machines able to meet the different needs of harvesting and post-
harvesting operations in the different environments.
However, the analysis of work performed by the optical grader has highlighted that, even when
operating at elevated speeds, the machine assures a high work capacity combined to highly accurate
grading operations. This higher accuracy enables to reduce the use of labour at machine outlets as
workers are sim ply expected to transfer already graded produce to specific containers. In traditional
systems, instead, one last check phase and a final selection were often required at the outlet to
compensate for possible grading errors. Such improved situation, together with the possibility of
processing different products, implies an increased use of the grader throughout the year and
favours savings in terms of post-harvesting processing costs.
Optical graders are in addition characterized by the possibility of varying their selection programs by
simply adjusting their control systems. Another feature of these machines is the extreme gentleness
of produce manipulation. This latter requirement, together with the former one, enables to meet the
demand for quality coming from the market.
Most of the producers of modern optical graders are able to manufacture models that can be
adapted to the different needs (in terms of work capacity and full size) of fruits and vegetables
processing farms. Machines with 1-2 processing lines are available on the market which can be used
for produce sampling or in small businesses, together with machines with 8-10 processing lines
destined to large businesses. Sometimes, however, the use of several lines put side-by-side turns
out to be more advisable than the use of machines with a large number of lines in oder to achive a
more flexible operation.
In the last few years the fierce competition from countries such as Spain, France, Belgium and the
Netherlands, has made itself badly felt in the Italian fruits and vegetables sector. Recovering a good
level of competitiveness connot do without strict and full compliance with regulations in terms of
produce quality and standardization and implies an excellent presentation to the market of the entire
range of the varieties cropped. The use of harvesters and graders like the ones under study is likely
to contribute to the attainment of the above competitiveness as these machines are specifically
designed to optimize both harvesting and post-harvesting operations.

10
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38.
FAO, varie annate.
Giametta G. (1984) La meccanizzazione della raccolta delle cipolle Prove sperimentali, Scienza e
Tecnica Agraria, 5, 125-143.
Giametta G. (1984) Prove di raccolta meccanica della cipolla, Macchine e Motori Agricoli, 7, 15-25.
Giametta G. (1986), La raccolta meccanica delle cipolle, Terra e Vita, 6, 40 - 50.
Giametta G. (1989), Mechanical harvesting of onions, Modern Agricultural Technology, 5.
Guidetti R., oberti R. (1999), Sperimentazione di una macchina elettronica per la calibratura dei
prodotti ortofrutticoli, Convegno Nazionale su: "L'innovazione tecnologica per l'agricoltura di
precisione e la qualit produttiva", Grugliasco, 22-23 giugno.
ISTAT, varie annate.
Pellizzi G. (1998), Meccanica Agraria, Ed agricole, vol. 2.
Piazza R. (1998), La cipolla deve comunicare con il consumatore, L informatore Agrario, 47, 32
33.
Ragni L., Processi post-raccolta all'insegna della qualit, Macchine e Motori agricoli (1996), 10, 37-
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Regolamento (CEE) n. 2213/83.
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The authors have contributed to the same extent to the present study.

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