Use of technology in agriculture continues to grow

Researchers are developing new technological advances that farmers and ranchers can use to become more efficient and sustainable even as the farm labor force is shrinking, reported Stacy Finz in the San Francisco Chronicle.

The story quoted Ted Batkin, the former president of the Citrus Research Board who served as a panelist at the University of California's Global Food Forum last spring. He said a robot currently under development could be used to pick citrus, apples, pears, peaches and other stone fruit.

"It's a game changer," he said. "We'll no longer be dependent on human labor for harvesting."

The story also delved into drone technology, which a professor at UC Davis believes may be employed for agricultural production needs ranging from herding cattle to spraying chemicals.

"Anything that's boring, repetitive and dangerous: Get a drone," said Ken Giles, professor in the Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering at UC Davis.

Shrinivasa Upadhyaya, another UC Davis engineering professor, and Bruce Lampinen, UC Cooperative Extension specialist in the Department of Plant Sciences at UC Davis, are working on a light bar sensor that measures how much light energy is absorbed by plants, providing farmers with a guide for pruning orchards, which is normally labor intensive. They are also developing leaf monitor sensors that report plant water status. These sensors can be monitored through the internet to make irrigation management decisions.

"Now no one needs to go to the field," he said. "You get the data every five minutes on your laptop."

Scientists believe drones like this helicopter sprayer may one day be used to reduce labor needs in agricultural production. (Photo: UC Davis)

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