Professor Piotr Latocha conducts research on developing innovative technology for sorting mini-kiwifruit.

The creator of new Polish varieties of Actinidia arguta (minikwi) fruit, dr hab. Piotr Latocha, prof. SGGW, head of the Department of Environmental Protection and Dendrology of the Institute of Horticulture Sciences, conducts research aimed at developing an innovative procedure for harvesting and handling mini-kiwifruits immediately after harvesting.

Uneven mini-kiwifruit ripening led the research team to develop a non-invasive method of sorting the harvested crop. Professor Latocha’s team works on building a prototype of a mini-kiwifruit sorting device.

Moreover, the team wants to develop some procedures for the long-term storage of harvested fruit in cold stores with a controlled atmosphere. The research, named the ‘Development of an optimal post-harvest technology for mini kiwifruit and a prototype of a non-invasive fruit sorting module regarding their degree of ripeness’ are co-financed by the EU  Cooperation activities funds under the 2014-2020 Rural Development Programmes (RDPs).