Horticultural research projects announced

Jul 28, 2023

47 Ontario-led research and innovation projects that will enhance the productivity of Ontario’s agri-food sector and position it for continued growth.

“Ontario-led research is helping our farmers, processors and agri-food businesses be more competitive on a global scale,” said Lisa Thompson, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. “Through the Ontario Agri-Food Innovation Alliance Tier 1 projects, our government is helping to develop the technologies and

Targeted diversification in the Ontario hop value chain for application in the brewing industry by lead applicant George van der Merwe

Chlorogenic acid as a molecular marker to identify peach and nectarine genotypes resistant to brown rot disease in Niagara peninsula by lead applicant Jayasankar Subramanian

Agricultural robotics for vegetable production and weed management by lead applicant Mary Ruth McDonald

An innovative approach to thinning plums for improved labour efficiencies, fruit quality and orchard economicsby lead applicant John Cline

Source : The Grower

Video: Designing a Robotic Berry Picker

Since blackberries must be harvested by hand, the process is time-consuming and labor-intensive. To support a growing blackberry industry in Arkansas, food science associate professor Renee Threlfall is collaborating with mechanical engineering assistant professor Anthony Gunderman to develop a mechanical harvesting system. Most recently, the team designed a device to measure the force needed to pick a blackberry without damaging it. The data from this device will help inform the next stage of development and move the team closer to the goal of a fully autonomous robotic berry picker. The device was developed by Gunderman, with Yue Chen, a former U of A professor now at Georgia Tech, and Jeremy Collins, then a U of A undergraduate engineering student. To determine the force needed to pick blackberries without damage, the engineers worked with Threlfall and Andrea Myers, then a graduate student.