Location: Appalachian Fruit Research Laboratory
Project Number: 8080-21000-028-001-R
Project Type: Reimbursable Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Oct 1, 2014
End Date: Aug 31, 2019
Objective:
The objective for this project is to develop an interdisciplinary approach to improve the production efficiency and sustainability of the highbush blueberry industry.
Approach:
We will design a novel semi-mechanical harvest-aid system for efficient mechanical fruit harvesting for small- and medium-size blueberry farms, develop the next-generation berry impact recording sensor and use it to improve harvest and postharvest operations through a critical understanding of mechanical impacts, and conduct ergonomic and socio-economic analyses of the developed technologies and the implication to the rural community through outreach and technology transfer.
