Understand ripening curve to forecast to over 90% accuracy

Want to know how long it takes your specific crop to go from flower to pickable fruit? The answer lies in understanding your ripening curve and growing degree days for accurate forecasting.?

100% of the customers we spoke to struggled to forecast because they didn't have accurate ripening curves. Now they do.

You can never gather enough information on your own to accurately track ripening curves at scale. Our GreenView system can help you track the fruit throughout the season using advanced AI.

We give you the tools to apply growing degree days easily - without the need to use complex calculations. You will understand exactly how long it takes your crop to make it to the next growth stage.

By understanding this in detail we can help you forecast to over 90% accuracy. With accurate yield predictions you can manage farm labour, and advise exactly what's going to market on harvest day.?

How it works

1. You collect video on your farm and get initial AI counts
2. We extrapolate these counts to the whole management area to give you total fruit counts
3. You provide expected pick dates for next two weeks (or we can work to an assumed picking week ending on Sunday)
4. We calculate the expected growing degree days (GDD) from the video date to the pick date/s
5. We apply our ripening curve to tell us what percentage of berry classes are expected to be ripe in the timeframe
6. We then factor in the average expected berry weight to give an accurate yield estimate e.g. how many kilos per week by block?

The result? You know how many kgs?you're going to pick on each harvest day to over 90% accuracy.?

We also have fortnightly check ins with all our customers. We know that every farm is different and there are many nuances. We monitor GDDs, weather, and harvest data to continually refine our ripening curves to fit what is happening on-farm.

Book a free demo.

Understanding ripening curve

The ripening curve refers to the pattern of physiological changes that occur in fruits and other plants as they progress from immature to mature stages and eventually reach full ripeness.

At the initial stages of fruit development, the ripening curve often shows slow or minimal changes as the plant undergoes cell division and enlargement. The ripening curve typically exhibits an initial lag phase, during which there is little observable change, followed by a rapid increase in the rate of ripening as the fruit approaches maturity. This phase is characterised by the accumulation of sugars, softening of the fruit tissue, and the production of compounds responsible for flavour and aroma.

Once the fruit reaches its peak ripeness, there may be a plateau phase where ripening processes slow down or stabilise, leading to a period of optimum quality. However, delayed picking or adverse environmental conditions may cause overripening, characterised by a decline in quality, loss of firmness, and decay.

Understanding the ripening curve is essential for growers to optimise harvesting schedules, storage conditions, and post-harvest handling practices to ensure that fruits reach consumers at their peak quality and flavour.?

Why we need growing degree days?

The ripening curve and growing degree days (GDD) are both important concepts in agriculture, especially in relation to the growth and development of crops. GDD are a measure of heat accumulation over time and are used to track the progress of crop growth and development.

GDD calculations take into account the daily mean temperature compared to a base temperature, typically around 10°C (50°F). When temperatures exceed the base threshold, the accumulated heat units contribute to crop development, including germination, flowering, and fruit ripening.

The interaction between the ripening curve and growing degree days lies in how temperature influences the pace and timing of crop ripening. Warmer temperatures generally accelerate physiological processes, leading to faster crop development and earlier ripening. Conversely, cooler temperatures slow down these processes, prolonging the time it takes for crops to reach maturity and ripeness.

By monitoring growing degree days and ripening curve throughout the growing season with GreenView, growers can time veraison (the onset of ripening) and plan for harvest. Understanding the relationship between the ripening curve and growing degree days allows growers to make informed decisions regarding crop management, harvesting, and post-harvest handling, ensuring the production of high-quality crops with maximum market value.

Schedule a free demo of GreenView or find out more by contacting us today:

[email protected].