Harvesting　machinery　has　been　the　focus　of　agricultural　equipment　in　recent　years,　especially　the　picking　manipulator.　Traditionally,　the　picking　manipulator　consists　of　series　multi-link　structure,　which　owns　good　motive　performance　during　assignment　of　fruit　harvesting.　However,　the　multi-link　picking　manipulator　is　difficult　to　cross　through　the　complicated　agriculture　environment.　Thus,　this　paper　proposes　a　novel　continuum　picking　manipulator　for　the　agricultural　harvesting.　The　continuum　picking　manipulator　is　a　novel　agricultural　operation　robot　with　full　flexibility　and　self-adaptability,　which　provides　a　good　ability　to　complete　various　tasks　in　the　complicated　agriculture　environment.　The　main　structure　of　the　continuum　picking　manipulator　consists　of　4　fiber-glass　rods,　several　guide　shelves　and　rubber　tubes.　The　fiber-glass　rods　cross　the　hole　of　the　guide　shelves　and　rubber　tubes　that　form　slide　joint,　and　the　guide　shelves　are　distributed　among　the　continuum　picking　manipulator　uniformly　through　the　separation　of　the　rubber　tubes.　The　movement　of　the　continuum　picking　manipulator　is　fulfilled　by　4　servo　driven　modules　which　are　composed　of　ball　screw　slipway　and　servo　motors.　The　space　motion　and　the　flexibility　feature　are　due　to　the　combination　of　bending　motion　of　the　fiber-glass　rods,　which　are　achieved　through　controlling　4　driven　modules　harmoniously.　Although　the　flexible　features　of　the　continuum　picking　manipulator　bring　the　considerable　dexterousness　in　the　process　of　fruit　harvesting,　the　loading　posture　of　the　continuum　picking　manipulator　has　deformed,　which　affects　motion　performance　of　the　continuum　picking　manipulator　due　to　the　flexibility　feature.　Thus,　this　paper　presents　an　innovative　method　to　solve　the　problem　of　load　posture　deformation　at　the　free　end　of　the　continuum　picking　manipulator.　Firstly,　the　kinematics　is　obtained　and　the　workspace　is　analyzed.　Secondly,　the　continuum　pick　manipulator　is　simplified　by　static　analysis.　Finally,　the　theoretical　model　of　the　loading　posture　is　set　up　according　to　the　theory　of　large　deflection　and　the　principle　of　unit　force.　The　posture　function　of　continuum　picking　manipulator　and　the　free-end　coordinates　can　be　calculated　based　on　the　presented　theoretical　model,　and　the　input　variables　are　bending　angle,　rotation　angle,　length　and　the　load.　Further,　the　theoretical　model　is　verified　through　the　systematic　multi-parameter　experiments　by　using　the　distortionless　camera　with　50　mm　focal　length,　and　the　load　posture　error　between　theoretical　and　experimental　values　is　no　more　than　7.8%.　Finally,　the　influences　of　different　posture　parameters　and　the　load　on　the　model　errors　of　the　continuum　picking　manipulator　are　discussed.　The　error　increases　with　the　load,　due　to　the　gravity　effect　and　the　structure　of　the　continuum　picking　manipulator.　The　maximum　free　end　position　error　is　7.8%　and　the　minimum　error　is　3.8%.　The　presented　theoretical　model　is　featured　with　less　calculation　to　fit　on-line　real-time　control　of　the　manipulator.　Furthermore,　this　model　can　extend　to　multi-section　continuum　picking　manipulator　with　consideration　of　each　lower　section　is　a　payload　of　its　upper　sections.　©　2018,　Editorial　Department　of　the　Transactions　of　the　Chinese　Society　of　Agricultural　Engineering.　All　right　reserved.