Mechanical flower thinning on a work card

The Darwin machine for mechanical blossom thinning has been brought out of the shed again. On the Natyra plot, we are conducting a trial in which mechanical thinning is applied at different thinning times. These are linked to blossom charts created on the same days. With this set-up, we are investigating what the optimal thinning time is when we wish to apply mechanical thinning on a tree-by-tree basis. The trial is part of the TOP (Technology for Optimal Production) project and contributes to the development and evaluation of mechanical thinning based on task cards. The aim is to make precision thinning possible for organic growers as well. In addition, mechanical thinning based on task cards could be an interesting alternative or supplement for trees with abundant blossoms on conventional plots with significant variation within the plot. With this trial, we are taking the next step towards practically applicable precision techniques in fruit growing. This trial is being carried out within the EIP collaborative project TOP (Working Together on Innovation) and is co-funded by the European Union and the province of Gelderland.