UF/IFAS Study Suggests Genetic Insights That Could Lead To Machine Harvesting of Muscadines, Tomatoes

A UF/IFAS study discovered new insights into how fruit detachment happens in muscadine grapes, paving the way for the possibility of mechanical harvesting. The research, aimed at reducing the high costs of manual labor associated with muscadine production, identified critical characteristics of the fruit’s genetics that make them easier to pluck from the stem. The collaborative research between UF/IFAS horticultural sciences assistant professor Tie Liu and UF/IFAS horticultural sciences associate professor Ali Sarkhosh was published in Horticulture Research.

Muscadines, a type of grape native to Florida, cost more to harvest than other grapes and other fresh fruit because of the high cost of manual labor. Mechanical harvesting could reduce that cost, but cultivars need to be developed that have easily detachable fruit.

By identifying the genes that make grapes easier to pick, researchers are hoping to reduce labor costs, improve efficiency, and increase postharvest quality in muscadine production long-term, said Liu.

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