September 2021 - 11

instance, tools that assist with precision
irrigation, pesticide applications or
nutrient applications. The Basso lab has
flown over Phil Schwallier's orchard and
the Clarksville Research Center orchards,
capturing data on variability within
the orchards. We plan on doing more
research together in the future.
FGN: I'm always amazed at the number
of agriculture technology companies out
there. And I know in computer vision
there were three very different companies
just at RidgeFest, and there are numerous
others. Do you think it's a field that will
consolidate over the next 20 years, or
will it expand and be like the sprayer
demonstration we had later in the day,
where there were eight different rigs for
growers to consider?
AW: Digital agriculture is such a young
industry, particularly in tree fruit. As you
suggested, there is a tremendous amount of
potential for many different companies to
introduce new technologies, and we're still
learning the best applications. The key will
be making these things accessible to and
economical for growers. This area and the
companies involved are going to continue
to evolve rapidly over the next few years.
as well as faculty members at MSU and
other universities (Todd Einhorn, Randy
Beaudry, Lailiang Cheng and others)
on research trials investigating thinning
and maturity manipulations, including
new thinning products and programs,
frost mitigation, stop drop materials and
coloring agents. We'll be harvesting fruit
and collecting data on yield and quality
in the next few weeks. I'm also working
with several companies developing digital
technologies, such as harvest prediction
and fruit quality. Most of this work will
be showcased at winter meetings in the
region this season. You can look for our
updates at the Great Lakes EXPO and
through MSU Extension communications
such as our website, the apple maturity
reports, and weekly crop updates. FGN
A drone-mounted platform for remote sensing technology was demonstrated by staff
of Bruno Basso's laboratory at Michigan State University.
Grown in the U.S.A.
HELPING GROWERS GROW™ | WENATCHEE, WASHINGTON
A drone pilot was able to show the crowd
a tablet screen with data as the drone
hovered above the orchard.
FGN: Some growers do more with
precision agriculture than others, and
there's probably not a one-size-fits-all
solution, but the promise of better yields
and better packouts is hard to ignore.
Are small growers interested in computer
vision technologies, in your experience, or
is it something you need a few hundred to
1,000 acres in order to use it well?
AW: There are opportunities for all
types and sizes of growers to integrate
digital agriculture technologies into their
business. A larger operation may be
needed to justify purchasing and using
larger equipment, such as a drone or
automated equipment, or contracting
with a service provider like a scout.
But as you saw, some companies are
developing smartphone applications
that can be used by anyone with a smart
device to capture variation, such as the
fruitlet measurements to guide thinning
decisions. In other cases, cooperatives
are forming between growers within
geographic areas to take advantage of
more expensive technologies.
FGN: What's next on your to-do list as
you head into the harvest season?
AW: I'm very excited to begin my first
harvest season in Michigan. It's coming
on quickly - we expect harvest to be
approximately 10 days ahead of normal
due to the warm spring conditions. I'm
currently working with Amy on the
apple maturity program and reports that
she and Phil have produced each year.
Our first report was just published this
week, focusing on Gala and McIntosh.
This season I'm working with Phil and a
number of other growers in the region,
Royal Red Honeycrisp®
CrimsonCrisp®
Gale Gala®
Ambrosia™
EverCrisp®
Red Jonaprince™
vanwell.net | 1-800-572-1553
ASK US ABOUT AVAILABILITY FOR 2022 AND BEYOND!
CONTACT YOUR NEAREST VAN WELL NURSERY FIELDMAN
Matt Moser | MOBILE 269-921-6892 or TOLL FREE 800-386-5600 (Michigan)
Yeary Orchards | PHONE 740-796-5922 (Ohio)
INTERNATIONAL
NEW VARIETIES
NETWORK
Scan code
to visit
website
FGN | SEPTEMBER 2021 | 11
http://www.vanwell.net
September 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of September 2021
