By Blake Jackson
A new Cornell University-led research initiative is aiming to transform orchard management through robotics and artificial intelligence, helping fruit growers address rising labor costs and workforce challenges.
The four-year project, supported by a $7.5 million grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Specialty Crop Research Initiative, will establish a Center of Excellence for Orchard Robotics within Cornell’s Department of Biological and Environmental Engineering.
The effort brings together researchers, technology companies, and fruit growers from across the United States to develop robotic systems capable of performing labor-intensive orchard tasks, including pollination, fruit thinning, harvesting, and weed control. Among the collaborators is Washington Fruit and Produce Co., a major grower of apples and cherries in Washington state.
“Our costs have just been skyrocketing, largely around labor, but everything else as well – meanwhile, apples sell for the same price they did 20 years ago,” said Gilbert Plath, technology director for the Yakima, Washington-based orchard, which grows apples and cherries on 10,000 acres.
“Who gets squeezed at that point? It’s not the warehouse, and it’s not the grocery store. It’s the farmers. We need to find ways to do more with less,” Plath added.
Researchers say automation could help reduce dependence on seasonal labor while improving workplace safety. Tasks such as harvesting can be physically demanding and often lead to repetitive motion injuries.
“Some of these farming operations are not just labor-intensive, they’re risky for human health and safety, whether that be through ladder falls, machinery-related accidents or repetitive motion injuries,” said Manoj Karkee, the Norman R. and Sharon R. Scott Professor of Agriculture and Life Sciences at Cornell.
Karkee and his team are developing autonomous machines capable of navigating orchards, identifying fruit, and making management decisions using advanced AI and machine-learning systems. Recent improvements in image recognition technology have significantly enhanced the ability of robots to detect fruit, branches, leaves, and other orchard features.
“Recent models based on neural networks have revolutionized what we can do around data and image processing,” said Karkee. “Where it is safe to go, where the fruits are located, how fruits are located in relation to a branch, a trellis, a wire, leaves, other fruits – all those things are being perceived and understood by robots using an AI model running behind the scenes.”
The project also includes research into grower adoption, economics, and practical implementation. Industry partners believe robots that can perform multiple orchard tasks throughout the year will provide the greatest value.
“Turning innovation into reality is still one of the major challenges for an industrial company like us,” said Avi Kahani, founder and CEO of Fresh Fruit Robotics.
Researchers hope the technology will eventually make robotic orchard management commercially viable, helping growers improve efficiency while addressing long-term labor shortages and production costs.
Photo Credit: istock-rixipix
Categories: New York, Crops, Fruits and Vegetables, Education