Investigators: L.W. DeVetter, F. Takeda, W. Yang, and J. Chen
Collaborators: Oxbo
We have been working to improve machine harvesting technologies for fresh market blueberry in collaboration with other researchers and private manufacturing companies. Drs. DeVetter and Yang were recently awarded Specialty Crop Block Grant funding from Washington and Oregon State Departments of Agriculture in 2018. This will allow the research to continue for additional years and we hope viable, commercial technologies will soon become available to growers.
Objectives:
- Develop and test harvest technologies and practices that allow for the mechanical harvest of fresh market blueberry with high fruit quality and high harvest efficiency
- Packing line assessments
- Compare food safety risks associated with traditional and new harvesting technologies
- Assess the microbial quality of fruits harvested by hand and the modified OTR harvester prototyes
- Extend project information
New Publications:
- Effects of machine-harvest interval on fruit quality of fresh market northern highbush blueberry
- Harvesting blueberries: A guide to machine pick blueberries for fresh market
This team has also been involved in the USDA-SCRI project proposal led by Dr. Charlie LI focused on machine harvesting blueberries for fresh markets.
Learn more about this project effort by visiting the website accessible through this link.
Educational video: From bush to clamshell: Machine harvesting blueberry for fresh markets
This project is in progress. Learn more about our 2018 and 2019 work by watching the videos below.
Collaborating institutions/companies:
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Funding:
