Intelligent Recognition and Automated Production of Chili Peppers: A Review Addressing Varietal Diversity and Technological Requirements

Sheng Tai, Zhong Tang (), Bin Li (), Shiguo Wang and Xiaohu Guo
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Sheng Tai: College of Agricultural Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China
Zhong Tang: College of Agricultural Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China
Bin Li: Xinjiang Academy of Agricultural and Reclamation Science, Shihezi 832000, China
Shiguo Wang: Xinjiang Academy of Agricultural and Reclamation Science, Shihezi 832000, China
Xiaohu Guo: College of Agricultural Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China

Agriculture, 2025, vol. 15, issue 11, 1-26

Abstract: Chili pepper ( Capsicum annuum L.), a globally important economic crop, faces production challenges characterized by high labor intensity, cost, and inefficiency. Intelligent technologies offer key opportunities for sector transformation. This review begins by outlining the diversity of major chili pepper cultivars, differences in key quality indicators, and the resulting specific harvesting needs. It then reviews recent progress in intelligent perception, recognition, and automation within the chili pepper industry. For perception and recognition, the review covers the evolution from traditional image processing to deep learning-based methods (e.g., YOLO and Mask R-CNN achieving a mAP > 90% in specific studies) for pepper detection, segmentation, and fine-grained cultivar identification, analyzing the performance and optimization in complex environments. In terms of automation, we systematically discuss the principles and feasibility of different mechanized harvesting machines, consider the potential of vision-based keypoint detection for the point localization of picking, and explore motion planning and control for harvesting robots (e.g., robotic systems incorporating diverse end-effectors like soft grippers or cutting mechanisms and motion planning algorithms such as RRT) as well as seed cleaning/separation techniques and simulations (e.g., CFD and DEM) for equipment optimization. The main current research challenges are listed including the environmental adaptability/robustness, efficiency/real-time performance, multi-cultivar adaptability/flexibility, system integration, and cost-effectiveness. Finally, future directions are given (e.g., multimodal sensor fusion, lightweight models, and edge computing applications) in the hope of guiding the intelligent growth of the chili pepper industry.

Keywords: computer vision; robotic harvesting; agricultural automation; deep learning (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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