Discrete event simulation of crop operations in sweet pepper in support of work method innovation

Greenhouse Work Simulation, GWorkS, is a model that simulates crop operations in greenhouses for the purpose of analysing work methods. GWorkS is a discrete event model that approaches reality as a discrete stochastic dynamic system. GWorkS was developed and validated using cut-rose as a case crop for which two cultivation systems exist, the path-based system and the mobile cultivation system. The focus of this paper is horizontal extension of GWorkS to sweet pepper, which is characterised by high crop-related labour effort and costs. For sweet pepper, international research aiming at automation of sweet pepper harvest is ongoing. Dynamic process simulation and analysis may contribute strongly to economic and technical constraints for the design of new work methods. The most important crop operation in sweet pepper cultivation, harvesting, was pre-modelled in IDEF3 process analysis. The mathematical structure of the GWorkS model is described, as well as specific model adaptations for sweet pepper and inputs determined from labour registration data and video recordings at a sweet pepper grower. Data were analysed for two growers producing different pepper cultivars. Model simulations were performed for one grower. Dynamic simulation results were used to derive technical and economic requirements as numerical constraints for the design of work method innovation.