Plums on the tree can be difficult to judge for ripeness: Many of the varieties grown commercially attain their beautiful color before the fruit is mature. If harvested too soon, plums may not be sweet and flavorful, and they can develop problems in storage. But growers are wary of harvesting late: Fruit can get bruised or punctured, or even drop before harvest.
People in rural regions like mountainous Nepal produce plenty of food. But before it can get to local markets and into people’s homes, much of it spoils. What’s left often has lost much of its nutritional value.
Assistant Professor Brian Bailey and Cooperative Extension Specialist Elizabeth Mitcham, both of the Department of Plant Sciences, are assisting on a project to create a mechanized shake-and-catch harvesting system for soft fruits without fall damage.
