Recognition Of Optimally Ripen Stage Of Palm Bunch Using NI Vision Page No.

INTRODUCTION

Color provides valuable information in estimating the maturity and

examining the freshness of the fruits. Color is one of the most significant criteria related to
fruit identification and fruit quality. It is a good indicator for ripeness. The color of an
object is determined by wavelength of light reflected from its surface. The light varies
widely as a function of wavelength and these spectral variations provide a unique key to
machine vision and image analysis.

In agricultural applications especially for fruits, we cannot estimate quality

just by its shape or pattern. This is due to the reason that the fruit which may have a
different shape and pattern but can possess the same level of quality as good as the other
fruits.

Most of the traditional methods that have been used to assess fruit ripeness
are destructive and thus cannot be so readily applied. All this can be replaced by a color
vision system which has been found more effective in color inspection.

The major objective of the study is to determine the optimally ripen stage of
the oil palm bunch using NI Vision with the help of grading systems. This project is
conducted to determine and differentiate between the color properties of the oil palm fruit
bunch and sort out whether the bunch is ripened or under ripened or over ripened.

DEPT OF EIE, SIR C R R COLLEGE OF ENGG. 2008-09

 Recognition Of Optimally Ripen Stage Of Palm Bunch Using NI Vision Page No.

1.1) Origin of the Project

The automated grading system was first developed by the research team
from University Putra Malaysia (UPM) at the Bangi oil palm experimental station, in
collaboration with the Malaysian Palm Oil Board (MPOB).

The fruit samples were photographed digitally and room temperature and
controlled lighting conditions. The captured images are processed and analyzed in a
computer. The obtained data is then correlated with a corresponding data obtained from the
chemical analysis. On comparing it, we can conclude whether the given sample is ripened
or not.

At present, the grading system does not exist in India. So this made us a bit
challenging to take up this project, in order to implement this automated grading system for
oil palm bunches using NI Vision software. The other reason for picking up this project is,
with a vision to help farmers to determine the grades of their fruit before selling them at the
mill. This benefits the farmer economically to set price on the basis of the quality of the
bunch he is selling. This technique is farmer friendly as this increases the efficiency of
quality harvesting and grading of the fresh fruit bunch (FFB).

DEPT OF EIE, SIR C R R COLLEGE OF ENGG. 2008-09

 Recognition Of Optimally Ripen Stage Of Palm Bunch Using NI Vision Page No.

1.2) Trial Experimentation

As this project is mainly depends on the basis of color, we made some initial
trials on the leaves as well as on black grapes. There is a perfect reason for doing so, for
these show different color properties at different stages just like the oil palm fruit. They
consist of one color at their immature stage and exhibit another color at their ripened stage.
We captured the images of these leaves and grapes at different color stages. The images are
fed to the computer and analyzed by histogram using NI Vision. The obtained values are
then compared with the standard values which are set previously.

By this result, we were able to conclude whether the samples are optimally
ripen or under ripen or over ripen based on the values of red, green and blue. We have
achieved the expected result and this gave an encouragement to us to proceed to the
experimentation on oil palm fruit. The results obtained for the black grapes and leaves are
as follows.

Parameter Red Green Blue

Minimum Value 117 170 34

Maximum Value 227 255 223

Starting Value 0 0 0

Interval Width 1 1 1

Mean Value 142.5421 204.9136 66.19229

DEPT OF EIE, SIR C R R COLLEGE OF ENGG. 2008-09

 Recognition Of Optimally Ripen Stage Of Palm Bunch Using NI Vision Page No.

Parameter Red Green Blue

Minimum Value 48 121 10

Maximum Value 213 253 253

Starting Value 0 0 0

Interval Width 1 1 1

Mean Value 103.7627 173.1971 93.57001

Parameter Red Green Blue

Minimum Value 152 94 0

Maximum Value 255 233 175

Starting Value 0 0 0

Interval Width 1 1 1

Mean Value 244.0662 186.4994 90.82396

DEPT OF EIE, SIR C R R COLLEGE OF ENGG. 2008-09

 Recognition Of Optimally Ripen Stage Of Palm Bunch Using NI Vision Page No.

Parameter Red Green Blue

Minimum Value 4 2 34

Maximum Value 255 255 223

Starting Value 0 0 0

Interval Width 1 1 1

Mean Value 119.3904 116.0813 129.5606

Parameter Red Green Blue

Minimum Value 117 170 34

Maximum Value 227 255 223

Starting Value 0 0 0

Interval Width 1 1 1

Mean Value 142.5421 204.9136 66.19229

DEPT OF EIE, SIR C R R COLLEGE OF ENGG. 2008-09