September 2022 - 12

Cal Poly strawberry research: Can robots kill pests?
By Chris Koger
Managing Editor
The Cal Poly Strawberry Center's
Sixth Annual Field Day saw its biggest
attendance yet, keeping on track with the
increased participation every year since
the inaugural event.
The 2022 event in late July, however,
marked a return to pre-COVID norms
after it was canceled in 2020 and changed
to a hybrid gathering in 2021. Although
organizers expected more than 300
people rotating through the automation,
entomology and plant pathology stations
throughout the day, more than 440 visited
the Strawberry Center to learn more
about the research conducted there.
" Attendance has been steadily growing
each year; last year we had about 325, "
said Julie Tillman, communications and
accounting coordinator at the center.
Gerald Holmes, director of the Cal
Poly Strawberry Center, said the research
presented during the field days hasn't
been shared with growers or other
industry stakeholders.
" They all come for different reasons.
Some come to network, and others to get
the details on the latest research, " Holmes
said. " We never present something we
featured last year or stuff that we've
presented in other places. That, I think, is
a big draw. "
first U.S. company to commercialize
robotic strawberry harvesting. In
2019, the company's harvester was
used to harvest berries, and a number
of companies, including Naturipe
Farms, the Oppenheimer Group and
GoodFarms, have used the TX Robotic
Strawberry Harvester.
The harvester drew a lot of attention
during the field day, as the picking
arms on its underbelly hovered over
the strawberry beds, jerking around
as sensors targeted the next " berry "
(actually, red golf balls depicted the fruit)
for its grippers to pick. Visit advanced.
farm/technology/strawberry-harvester/
to see a video demonstration.
" They're out there now, harvesting, "
Advanced Farm's BetterPick strawberry harvester draws a lot of attention at the Sixth
Annual Cal Poly Strawberry Center Field Day. A number of growers are using the
machines in California strawberry fields. Photos: Cal Poly Strawberry Center
The three main subjects - automation,
entomology and pathology - each have
hot topics of high interest to the industry.
" There's always something exciting
in automation, " Holmes said. " In the
entomology program, we had predatory
mite best practices and using UVC light
for arthropod management. And on the
pathology side, people want to see how
the varieties are performing against the
fruit rots, and we had some interesting
new results looking at the color of the
plastic and irrigation through drip tapes
as it relates to Macrophomina fruit rots. "
Automation is here - and
getting better
Several companies were on hand to
showcase their robotic field equipment.
Advanced Farm Technologies Inc.,
which recently raised $25 million from
an investment round, touts itself as the
Holmes said, as growers work with
Advanced Farm Technologies on
adjustments to improve performance.
" The equipment works, but it's a
question of 'to what degree does it
work?' " Holmes said. " Are they picking
without injuries (to the fruit)? "
At this time, such equipment seems
better suited to early in the season,
before strawberry plants grow and
make the red berries harder to find,
Holmes said.
Shining a light on pests
Sarah Zukoff, entomology program
leader at the Strawberry Center, has
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September 2022

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