2023-07-05 10:22:00
Syngenta and Four Growers Inc. collaborate to create the future of tomato production
Robotization in tomato production can help with labor challenges and reduce production costs. Researchers are using robotic harvesting equipment to prepare for the future of tomato production, which will use higher-level mechanization. Data generated by robotics and AI will provide Syngenta breeders with more data sooner, meaning tomato innovations can get to market faster.
The future of food production requires greater efficiency, sustainable practices and maximum yield at every stage. To optimize tomato production, Syngenta recently partnered with Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania-based Four Growers to test robotic tomato picking with the GR-100.
“This collaboration is a nexus between genetics and automation,” says Ruud Kaagman, global head of tomatoes at Syngenta. “The success of robotics in the future is based on the application of robotics with different characteristics to plants. With this collaboration, you will see varieties adapted for robotic picking, which will allow the growers who grow them to succeed.”
Robotics combined with genetics brings technology and nature together to create a better future for this healthy vegetable that is consumed around the world. The collaboration between Syngenta and Four Growers can lead to faster progress in crop cultivation, reduced losses and more satisfied growers and consumers.
Cost reductionthey for labor
Today, tomatoes are hand-picked by humans, which accounts for a significant portion of production costs – up to 30% of the total value. In addition to costs, manufacturers face difficulties in finding sufficient labor. With the situation worsening, they need solutions to ensure the supply of tomatoes.
Here comes roboticoto harvesting
“The use of robotics in agriculture will allow us to consume higher quality, healthier and more affordable fruits and vegetables,” explained Brandon Contino, CEO of Four Growers. “Unlike other machines we see in the field today that pick all the fruit (ripe or unripe), with Four Growers, robotics and artificial intelligence allow us to pick the fruit individually so that only those that are fully ripe are harvested.”
Robotics in tomato research
To optimize the efficiency of robotic picking, growers need a combination of an intuitive machine and plants designed to be compatible with it. That’s why Syngenta is incorporating robotics into the research and development stage to select plant structures that best pair with machine picking.
“Syngenta is developing varieties for the future of our growers, so we need to understand how they will manage their business five or ten years from now,” explains Kaagman. “We will make sure that when growers move to robotics on a large scale, we will have varieties that will help them achieve greater efficiency and added value from robotics.”
For example, the location of the fruit – in its current form, the bunches of tomatoes are all over the plant. Some are hidden behind the stems and leaves, some are in narrowed bundles. These positions can make it difficult for the robotic picker to identify and pick the fruit. With this knowledge, Syngenta researchers can select the genetic traits that position tomato bunches optimally for all future cultivars.
“Working with Syngenta gives us the opportunity to leverage each other’s knowledge and technology,” says Contino. “By combining these plant structures with flavor properties, we can help create a more affordable and tastier tomato.”
Machine learning for fasterand inovtions
Most tomato varieties on the market can take up to eight years of research and a huge amount of data before they reach growers’ greenhouses. Instead of relying on humans to collect data, robots and artificial intelligence allow researchers to collect more data with a higher degree of accuracy than ever before.
“The better the data, the better we can choose the right variety that we want to bring to market,” explains Kaagman. “These robots have options that we can use for more than just harvesting. They count the fruits, check their size, measure their weight and calculate the total yield. The robot collects a lot of data that until now we have only collected with our eyes.”
Unlike human eyes, robots do not tire or have biases, so the data is more accurate than ever. “With over 20 cameras looking at the plants in real-time, we use machine learning,” says Contino. “This data allows us to perform analysis and offer the best solutions for growing plants and for each individual machine we manufacture.”
Robotic tomato harvesting represents an innovative and promising solution for the future of agriculture. The collaboration between Syngenta and Four Growers combines genetics and automation to create more efficient and sustainable tomato production that will benefit businesses and consumers.
See more about Syngenta tomato varieties here:
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