Getting the right flavor profile for stonefruit varieties is a key challenge for growers and retailers, and fruit maturity is one key indicator of what flavor fruit will have when eaten. One non destructive device that has the potential to revolutionise the pre and post harvest testing that tells growers when fruit is ready to pick is attracting more attention from growers, and further investment would speed up the process to implement its use across more varieties of fruit.
The DA Meter may reduce waste, improve the taste quality of fruit sold and, crucially, ensure that fruit packed for export arrives in excellent condition for selling. “So far growers using the DA Meter, even without full calibration, are reporting good results and Summer Fruit Australia as the import licence holder, has sold around 10 already. One organic grower in Swan Hill is still using it without full calibration because it works.”
The DA Meter, developed by Turoni in Italy, and researched by Dr Dario Stefanelli who works with the Victorian Department of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport & Resources, is attracting heavy investment within countries competing with Australia on stonefruit and pome fruit exports, such as Chile and other South American countries.
The retail aspect, and reducing the volume of fruit thrown in the bin by consumers, or rejected by importers, is a key consideration of the work being carried out with the DA Meter. “What we’ve noticed is that the DA Meter really reduces variability of harvesting. That may decrease waste from over ripe fruit by 10-20%, and leads to better market acceptance,” says Dr Stefanelli. “If you know what is going to happen, what the ripeness at harvest is and what is going to happen during two weeks transit to China, you know fruit will arrive in good condition.”
This technology is something that Dr Stefanelli says has been discovered already by importers from Chile and other countries. “Competition is quite high. This technology is being adapted and adopted. Chile and other South American countries, they’re trying to get there first but here in Australia the saving grace is that we have 7-10 days less transport time to reach China.”
More investment is needed to ensure that the DA Meter technology is ready for the Australian market in time to take advantage of increased demand for fresh fruit from China, Dr Stefanelli says. “Whoever is first to get there gets the highest price. The price is effectively set by the first one to sell to these markets.”
Better measurements, better fruit, happy consumers
The DA Meter is non invasive, and allows orchardists to direct pickers with more accuracy which blocks to concentrate on. “There has been testing done, and consumers generally want fruit that’s what we call ‘on the turn’ and sweet, not too hard, and not dripping soft,” says stonefruit grower Adrian Conti. “Ultimately I believe it’s a personal, individual preference, but there are clear indicators of when fruit is ripened. Growers need to pick fruit that’s sweet yet firm enough to make it to market, while consumers need to learn how to tell when fruit is ready to eat.”
“To measure sugar and pressure test the fruit we normally have to cut it open,” says Dr Stefanelli. “We’ve improved handheld devices used for testing, so that it’s non intrusive. You don’t need to calibrate continuously either.” Those who are using the DA Meter are able to see without removing the fruit from the tree what the level of chlorophyll left in the flesh is, which is a clear indicator of ripeness, according to Dr Stefanelli. “This is independent from agronomics, and fruit is always passing through this particular ripening phase. To identify the correct stage of ripening, that’s where I come in,” he says. He also says he currently has the calibrations for 8-10 varieties of stonefruit and a couple of pome fruit. “We just need to ensure that it gives out the same result two years in a row,” he adds.
Some fruits that don’t give out ethylene will also require a different approach, Dr Stefanelli says, so there is another area of research that is still ongoing.
The official importer for the DA Meter is Summerfruit Australia.
For more information:
Summer Fruit Australia
Website: www.summerfruit.com.au
Phone: the Summer Fruit office on +6126041 6641
E-mail: dario.stefanelli@ecodev.vic.gov.au (for research queries).