Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/57720
intends to incorporate a system to produce ultrafine ice particles that can be sprayed onto the cherries in the bin during harvest to cool them down and plans to include in-field sorting to detect soft or bruised fruit or doubles. 4 5 Extend shelflife and consumer appeal Researchers at Michigan State University's School of Packaging are looking for novel packages that can extend the shelflife of cherries. They have been testing a clamshell pack made of polylactic acid (PLA), with and without microperforations in the lid. The package, which is compostable and recyclable, limits fruit weight loss and fungal growth. Develop markets for stem-free cherries Tests at WSU's School of Food Science showed that consumers preferred the appearance of stemmed cher- ries and thought stemmed cherries were more conven- ient to eat than stem-free. However, there was no difference in their willingness to purchase stemmed or stem-free. Consumers found Ethrel-treated cherries less accept- able than untreated fruit, though Whiting said he was not sure why. The test will be repeated next year. 6 Typically, trees are planted 5 to 7 feet apart with 10 feet between rows for an upright system, or 3 feet between trees and 14 or 15 feet between rows for a Y system, where the trees lean alternately to either side. The height is typically between 10 and 12 feet. Analyze the profitability of the system WSU and Oregon State University economists are developing interactive economic models to validate the profitability and feasibility of mechanical harvesting of sweet cherries, and of partial mechanization. They are looking at how harvest technologies could impact the bottom line for small, medium, and large growers. • Harvest scale shows POTENTIAL WSU scientist Fran Pierce demonstrates an early version of a scale developed to weigh cherries in the orchard. A research scale developed to assess picking efficiency as part of a sweet cherry research project could have commercial potential, growers told a team of researchers during an information session. Improving labor efficiency is one of six objectives of a $3.9 million research project aiming to develop a sus- tainable production, processing, and marketing system for stem-free sweet cherries. Project leader Dr. Matt Whiting, horticulturist with Washington State University in Prosser, described how his colleagues developed a digital scale that can be placed in the orchard to monitor the volume of cherries that individual pickers harvest. An empty bin is placed upon the scale, which stands about a foot off the ground, and pickers wear RFID (radio frequency iden- tification) wrist bands. Each time a picker empties a picking bag full of cherries into the bin, the wrist band is scanned so that the weight of cherries picked is attributed to that person. 30 MARCH 15, 2012 GOOD FRUIT GROWER An in-field scale could help ensure that workers fill their picking bags. by Geraldine Warner WSU research associate Dr. Yiannis Ampatzidis developed the weighing system so that the picking effi- ciency of workers could be compared in orchards with different types of tree architecture to find out which was the most efficient configuration. Next year, researchers will use the scale to find out how crop load affects picking efficiency. The scale is not available commercially, but growers at an information meeting at WSU's Irrigated Agricul- ture Research and Extension Center in November said it had great potential to help them monitor harvest. Cherry pickers are usually paid by the pound, with the assumption that the picking bag or bucket contains 20 pounds of cherries, yet there can be great variability in how much fruit the pickers put into their container. The scales could provide instant feedback on the actual weight of the cherries so that, for example, a picker who is only emptying 19 pounds of cherries into the bin instead of the required 20 pounds can be alerted. Whiting said this could also prevent checkers favoring certain workers and allowing them to empty containers that aren't quite full. Mike Omeg, a grower in The Dalles, Oregon, said that when pickers aren't filling their bags, growers are in effect paying a higher rate per pound and spending more money to get the crop harvested. The scales would allow this to be managed much more easily and might save growers thousands of dollars through not having to pay for fruit that's not picked. "It's got a lot of potential," he said. Data from the scale can be transmitted to a com- puter. Growers noted that the data could also be used for payroll purposes or to develop yield maps. Whiting said one scale could be used for a crew of up to 14 people. The only problem is that two workers can't dump their cherries into it at the same time; other wise, the weight can't be attributed to the right picker. There has to be a ten-second lag between dumping. He estimated the cost of a scale at $500 to $600. • www.goodfruit.com Geraldine Warner Geraldine Warner