Precision orchard management is taking a big step closer to reality with the arrival of an Italian PhD student at Agriculture Victoria’s Tatura SmartFarm.

Agronomist Mirko Piani is midway through his doctorate at the University of Bologna and will spend six months at the SmartFarm to bring his expertise in precision orchard management.

Mr Piani will develop improvements to orchard management through Light Detection and Ranging data mapping.

LiDAR is a laser-based technology that uses multiple pulses emitted and received by the same device to map a region in three dimensions and is being developed to collate data on fruit tree structure and growth.

Mr Piani said his project involved monitoring tree growth over time to identify areas of an orchard that require variable management.

“My PhD is basically related to the application of technologies in orchards,” he said.

“I started with computer vision, then moved to robotics, and now I’m here to try to understand if LiDAR technology could be useful and can give useful insights on production to growers.”

The project will monitor trees to see if there is consistent growth among ‘leaders’ (vertical fruit-bearing branches) during the tree’s establishment.

AgVic research scientist Alessio Scalisi is collaborating with Mr Piani on the project and said other research was focusing on already established trees.

“Mirko is focusing on a prototype to track the growth of trees in the first two years following their establishment,” Dr Scalisi said.

“The most important thing is to keep track of the architecture of the tree during the first few years — that's really a need.”

Dr Scalisi said the project was also at the forefront of the technology, with most other research focusing on machine vision and not food production.

“Mirko is one of the few people that is actually trying to bring them together,” he said.

Mr Piani said the applications of the technology could be used by the grower in real time and only where needed.

“The most important information is understanding if each leader of each plant is growing, at which rate, and in which way,” he said.

“Is it at an homogeneous rate or in a heterogeneous way?

“If it is heterogeneous the grower (will) know exactly where to go to apply maybe hormones or pruning or regulating irrigation.”

The project is part of AgVic’s Narrow Orchard Systems for Future Climates program.

AgVic senior research scientist Mark O’Connell said AgVic SmartFarms support the agricultural community by undertaking science in dairy, horticulture, grains and livestock farming to help support productivity and strengthen Victoria's major agriculture industries.

“Tatura SmartFarm is all about enabling innovation for the horticulture industry,” Dr O’Connell said.

“Our research improves orchard to fruit quality sensing and increases precision and mechanisation and robotics through ag tech that increases the yield and value of pears, apples and stonefruits — helping grow Victoria’s export markets.“

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Sunday, 1st September 2024

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