The Federal Government has just announced an initiative supporting new and innovative technology in agriculture.
So it will be interesting to learn what the benefits might be to Australian cherry growers.
Existing technologies
We have already seen new technology in cherry grading systems (manufactured in Australian and overseas) that have improved packouts of quality cherries for consumers both here and in overseas markets.
There are satellites that produce images of properties that highlight changing soil types or areas of poor crop growth.
Hand–held infra-red scanners that measure temperature, humidity and more, are now available and being used by some.
Drones capture a myriad of information depending on the program used or the requirements of the grower.
Sensor–based weed spraying—where a sensor activates the sprayer only when it senses a weed—saves spray, so that the tank will spray a greater area during the passes between the rows.
Future
We can only guess what inventions or equipment the new government initiative might bring to the cherry industry.
Australian ingenuity
Australian ingenuity has been impressive: from the stump–jump plough to the flight recorder black box and Wi-Fi.
Common sense
All this is very well but common sense must prevail.
Uptake of new ideas will only take place when they are affordable, are labour saving, and can improve the financial bottom line.
I reckon we’ll all be watching with great interest.
