Mini Kiwi ‘Kiwi berry’- a big little fruit
The project: Development of optimal post-harvest technology for kiwi berry fruit (Actinidia arguta), and a prototype of a non-invasive sorting module based on mat (MODOM)
MiniKiwi fruit has already been described many times on SGGW’s website, so it is not a new story for our community, nevertheless, our scientists are conducting further research to optimise post-harvest processes.
The operation aims to develop and bring into practice a post-harvest innovative procedure for kiwi berry fruits, including post-harvest treatment and long-term refrigeration (mainly post-harvest cooling and refrigeration conditions) as well as innovative technology enabling non-invasive classification of kiwi berry fruit in terms of maturity, including the construction of sorting module prototype.
The development of these two solutions will support the previously developed and implemented MiniKiwi cultivation technology. The authors hope that the results will contribute to an increase in the production of these fruits in Poland and will affect the competitiveness of Polish producers in the domestic and foreign markets. They also hope this will enable MiniKiwi fruit (kiwi berry) to enter the market.
The tests were conducted on ‘Weiki’, a basic, late-maturing variety grown in Poland. The research related to the development of the prototype was conducted on an early maturing variety called ‘Geneva’.
Development of an optimal post-harvest procedure for mini kiwi fruit (kiwi berry):
Research related to the implementation of the first objective, i.e., the development of optimal post-harvest technology, was carried out at the facilities of the consortium member, Adam Kostrzewa’s farm in Bodzew (Belsk Duży).
The experiments were conducted immediately after the fruit harvest, i.e. in autumn 2020 and 2021. Due to the nature of the research, two series of analyses were necessary to assess the impact of the variability of the plant material caused by the environmental conditions to enhance the reliability of the results. After the first trial season, the worst options were rejected and the group focused on comparing the remaining options. The experiments conducted as part of the operation were intended to answer the questions:
- Does the chilling of the fruit immediately after harvest and its storage for the first night at 8-10 °C in a regular cold store along with the ozone treatment, followed by sorting and putting it in the cold store on the following day, influence its storability and quality during storage?
- What is the effect of different conditions of long-term cold storage on the storability of mini kiwi and their physico-chemical quality? Considering the ozonation of the fruit before putting it into the cold store, 6 options /combinations of cold storage were applied during the experiment. All storage options were successfully implemented for chilled and unchilled fruit during the early phase of the experiment.
The development of a sorting module (MODOM):
The development of the module prototype for assessing the mini kiwi fruit maturity was carried out in three thematic groups: designing and constructing the prototype, adjusting and controlling the working elements of the prototype, and programming the algorithms for recording, processing and analysing spectral data.
The research resulted in designing and producing a prototype of a mini kiwi fruit sorting device, which, due to its multi-purpose nature, can also be used for sorting other fruits or small vegetables. The designed device has a modular structure, with three main components: a transport system with a hopper, a vision chamber with its conveyor and a distributor (diverter).
MiniKiwi videos on YouTube channel / Science SGGW:
The project details:
Project implementation time: between 01/01/2021 and 31/12/2023; Funding: EAFRD; National public funds. Total budget: PLN 1,692,603.00. Main location (NUTS3): PL911 City of Warsaw. Other location (NUTS3): PL926 Żyrardowski.
The project was completed in 2023. It was implemented by a consortium made up of the members: SGGW (Project coordinator), Gospodarstwo Sadownicze Adam Kostrzewa, Belsk Duży (project partner); Mazowiecki Ośrodek Doradztwa Rolniczego, Warsaw (MODR); co-financed by the European Union under Measure 16 ‘Cooperation’ of the Rural Development Programme 2014 -2020. The scientific head of the project: prof. dr hab. Piotr Latocha, SGGW
Links:
http://minikiwi.sggw.pl/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/MiniKiwi-maly-wielki-owoc__wyniki-