A progress report: Redesigning pear trees for mechanical harvesting

A progress report: Redesigning pear trees for mechanical harvesting

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Mechanical harvesting of Bartlett pears was attempted in 1960 using a block of sixty-year-old trees, designed specifically for MULTI ENZYME FULL SPECTRUM hand harvesting, at the George and Walter Brown pear ranch, Santa Clara County.The lower limbs were so near to the ground that a catching frame could not be driven beneath the trees and the fruit had to be dropped onto straw in the initial trials.After a month in cold storage the fruits were peeled and then graded for mechanical damage, including bruising (brown spotting).An average of 48% of the fruit was damaged and unacceptable for processing.

Brown spot bruising accounted for 32% of the damage.This damage was Damiana presumed to be from fruits hitting twigs, branches and other fruit while falling.