This is a summary of some innovative technologies being researched and used in the tree fruit industry.

1. Developments in Technology
and Automation for Tree Fruit
Katie Ellis
Penn State Cooperative Extension of
Adams County

2. Penn State
Specialty
Crop
Innovations

3. Ag Innovations Team
PSU FREC – Jim Schupp, Larry Hull, Henry Ngugi,
Jim Travis, Greg Krawczyk, Lynn Kime, Edwin
Winzeler, Tom Kon
PSU Southeast Region - Tara Baugher,
Katie Ellis, Jim Remcheck,
Student Interns
PSU State College – Rob Crassweller,
Rich Marini, Paul Heinemann, Jay Harper

4. Adoption of
New Ag Technologies
8 yr lag to early adoption/15 yrs to full adoption
From Alston, Norton, and Pardey
Science Under Scarcity,1995.

5. Innovative Technologies
for the Thinning of Fruit
USDA-SCRI
Specialty Crops Research Initiative
PSU, UC Davis, Clemson, WSU, UMD, UIL,
USDA

6. Innovative Technologies for
Thinning of Fruit
Trans-disciplinary goal:
To develop and field test novel mechanized
methods of thinning specialty crops and to
assess sociological and economic
feasibilities of industry implementation
A multi-disciplinary team will investigate approaches
that integrate electronics, mechanical components,
and decision making algorithms to provide efficient,
cost-effective, and ecosystem-based fruit thinning.
These objectives include both research and extension
components, and provide for industry interaction to
address the many issues involved in the development
to delivery process.

7. Selective Thinning Investigations
Simulating
human
movement
with
machines

8. Non-Selective Thinning Investigations
In Cooperation with WSU, UC Davis, Clemson, USDA
Mechanical Thinning at Various Bud Stages
Modifying Pruning Practices to Improve Access by
Mechanical Thinners
Various combinations of labor efficient thinning
methods
Photo by Mark Seetin, USApple

9. String Configurations

11. Thinning Results
• Blossom removal ranged from 20-55%.
Factors that affected removal rates included
string arrangement, tractor speed, spindle
rotation speed, cultivar, tree training system,
pruning, and bud stage.
• Hand thinning requirements were reduced by
25-65%, and fruit size distribution improved
in all but one trial.
• Net economic impact at optimum tractor and
spindle speeds was $462-$1490 and $230-
$847 for processing and fresh market
peaches, respectively.

12. Thinning Results

13. Implications for Growers
Mechanical thinners are consistent in both
reducing labor costs and increasing fruit
size
(Chemical thinners are fairly consistent in reducing fruit set
and increasing fruit size but not in reducing follow-up hand
thinning)
Hand Thinned Blossom Thinned
with String Thinner

14. Outreach & Grower Input
“ I saved $3,000 in
labor over a two
month period”
“My operation cut
down on hand
thinning time by a
week”

15. Comprehensive Automation
for Specialty Crops
USDA-SCRI
Specialty Crops Research
Initiative
CMU, PSU, Purdue, OSU, WSU, USDA

16. Reconfigurable Mobility
Goal: develop reconfigurable vehicles that
can be used for several functions, like
spraying, mowing, harvest, pruning, and
thinning
- Research on accurate
vehicle positioning to
georeference crop and
environmental conditions

17. Augmented
Fruit Harvesting Devices
Russell Rohrbaugh & Alex Leslie
Needs:
– Hand picking accounts for ~50% of total fruit
production costs
– Up to 30% of fruit is damaged during harvest
Photo by Mark Seetin, USApple

18. Detection of Plant Stress, Disease,
and Insect Infestations
Input Images Detection Results

19. Monitoring Insect Populations
Goals:
– Automatically monitor orchard pest (moth)
populations with high spatial and temporal
resolution
– Reduce costs associated with checking
conventional wing traps

20. Autonomous
Crop Load Scouting
Goals:
– Better crop load measurements (more accurate
and less costly than manual approach)
• Crop load measurements influence various orchard
management decisions (e.g., matching harvesting to
orders; fertilizer, irrigation, pest control measures)
• Autonomous scouting enables orchard management
decisions to be made in a more timely and accurate
manner

21. Other Components of CASC
• Sociological Implications
– Socioeconomic surveys
• Value Proposition
• Outreach
• Feedback from
advisory panel

22. Related Investigations in
New Technologies
CIG Plots · Orchard Platform · WeedSeeker®

23. United States Department of Agriculture
Natural Resources Conservation Services
Conservation Innovation Grant
Seth & Dan Boyer Ken Guise/Dave Cox Tony & Terry Fetters Michael Flinchbaugh
Bill Gardenhour Dave & Shawn Garretson Brad & Bruce Hollabaugh Brian Jacques
Brian, Kevin, & Kyle Knouse Corey McCleaf Neil Starner Ed & Justin Weaver

24. Field
Laboratories
on New
Training
Systems
for Intensive Orchards
Narrow Vertical Axis
Vertical Axis Hedgerow
(4-Wire Trellis)

25. Platform Trials
Photo by Sally Colby

26. WeedSeeker Trials
®

27. Many cooperators contributed to this
research – Thank You!

28. Work conducted so far - made
possible by:
• PSU College of Agriculture Seed Grant Program
• PA Department of Community and Economic
Development First Industries Program
• State Horticultural Association of Pennsylvania
Extension Committee
• PDA Peach and Nectarine Board
• Robert C. Hoffman Foundation
• Washington Tree Fruit Research Commission
Important funds used to support
Specialty Crop Innovations Coordinator and
Student Interns

29. Penn State Cooperative Extension of Adams County
Penn State Fruit Research and Extension Center
Penn State Departments of Agricultural and
Biological Engineering and Horticulture
www.abe.psu.edu/scri
www.cascrop.com
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