soft fruit farmers...

Fox Robotics is working on an autonomous outdoor robot that will perform various on-farm logistics tasks. The company says its robot will free up manual labour, who can then can be redeployed onto more productive tasks, thereby boosting overall productivity, yields and pro ts.

Fox Robotics is in advanced trial stages with soft fruit farmers and is preparing to release its technology to work alongside pickers to transport fruit. The company is also applying for a Defra agricultural automation grant, which aims to bring food producers and technology rms together to nd innovative ways to boost productivity, farming resilience and sustainability on British farms.

In this grant the company is, among other things, looking to gather additional data that will be crucial to ensure its AI, robot and web systems are suitable for a wider range of logistics tasks and farm characteristics (e.g. crop/livestock varieties, management systems, 4G/GPS coverage, etc.).

Farmers who opt to join Fox Robotics in the bid and participate in these studies and trials will bene t from being closely involved in the development priorities of this pioneering technology, the company reckons, and will therefore have an easier time eventually integrating the system on their farms, giving them a sizeable competitive edge in the automation process. They will also directly be promoting the type of automation British farmers need to address chronic labour challenges.

If you are interested in participating in these trials, please contact alejandra.acevedo@foxrobotics.com

Silicon linked to lower copper levels in wine grapes

Trials on UK grapevines have shown that applying silicon as a foliar spray can help reduce excessive accumulation of copper, which can a ect the sensory qualities of wine. Trials carried out by Orion FT showed that applying a silicon-based biostimulant strengthens the plant’s natural defences to mildew infection and can help it resist aphid and caterpillar feeding damage.

“Our trials showed an increase in silicon uptake of 30% following the application of Fossil, a silicon biostimulant, as a foliar spray. The product also helped the vines to take in signi cantly more zinc and iron, both essential for the formation of sugars. Optimising nutrient levels is a key property of biostimulant products,” is a 100% natural organic fertiliser and soil conditioner, under the brand name FutureGro. FutureGro is an upgrade to the traditional practice of manure and green waste application, being a high-quality, fully decomposed organic fertiliser that adds nutrients, improves soil structure, and stimulates microbial action. According to Cloud Agro, it is six times stronger than FYM and a whopping 50 times more e ective than green waste. With FutureGro, as the plant grows stronger with enhanced nutrition and more balanced soils, crops can ward o disease vectors and pest attacks. However, Cloud Agro stresses that animal manure does the opposite: its application leads to the spread of weed seeds, disease vectors, and pathogens. explains technical specialist Kate Williams.

Repeated application of FutureGro helps nutrients become more available to crops, making soil more fertile meaning that, over time, less chemical fertiliser is needed. Applying FutureGro, on average, 1t/ha twice a year to your soil could lead to healthier crops and 25% higher yields this season, the company reckons.

Elevated levels of copper in the soil can cause reductions in the levels of bene cial bacteria and fungi in the rhizosphere. Therefore, reducing the reliance on these products and lling the gap with a silicon biostimulant can both improve soil health and strengthen the plant naturally.

“We are not advocating that growers stop using fungicides. However, our trials show that by including a silicon biostimulant as part of an IPM approach, vines will carry less copper and more micronutrients, which will improve plant health, yield and also improve the aromatics of the wine,” she adds.

The prevalence of excess copper in grape juices can have an adverse e ect on the thiols of some wines, negatively a ecting the aroma. A silicon biostimulant can be mixed with a fungicide to o set this whilst also strengthening the plant.

FOX ROBOTICS focuses on improving and automating logistics tasks other robotics companies have overlooked in the horticulture industry. FOX ROBOTICS is currently concentrating on improving the efficiency of the UK's soft fruit farms and vineyards.

Hugo RTTM is a durable, efficient, battery-powered robot designed to reduce the reliability of seasonal labour. The outdoor logistics robot helps to automate several all-year-round tasks, from supporting the transportation of picked produce to carrying delicate seedlings and soil in narrow polytunnels. Automating these tasks will help to reduce overall costs and increases productivity.