In Australia, strawberry varieties will be developed for harvesting by robots

In Australia, they plan to launch a project to develop varieties of garden strawberries (strawberries) intended for harvesting by robots. The selection work is expected to last four years and require funding of at least $11.5 million. The project will be overseen by Hort Innovation, a horticultural research and development organization, in conjunction with the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAFQ). The scientists hope to combine in the new variety the characteristics of premium varieties that customers like best, such as taste, color and aroma, with properties such as unbranched flower stalks, which is ideal for robotic picking. The horticulture workforce has declined by 20% over the past three years, leading to 40% of Australian growers adopting modern equipment. The Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries' Chief Breeder said the development of new varieties will help reduce the time it takes to pick and pack the berry, leading to higher incomes for ...