How to Achieve The Perfect Fruit Every Time with Fruit Sensors

Phytech Fruit Sensors on an avocado tree.

Great plant monitoring starts with understanding the story of stress that trees are telling us through their biological data. Growers can use this data to manipulate orchard inputs to optimize the BRIX levels of their fruit harvest.

What Are Fruit Sensors?

Fruit sensors are advanced agricultural tools that measure the growth of individual fruits in real-time. These sensors attach directly to the fruit and collect precise data on expansion rates, helping growers track development over time without invasive methods. 

How Do Fruit Sensors Work?

Phytech’s fruit sensors use non-invasive clamps to gently attach to the fruit's surface, tracking its natural expansion over time. These sensors collect minute changes in fruit size and send real-time data to the Phytech app. 

Fruit sensors can measure fruits of all kinds.

The system then compares this data against ideal growth trajectories, providing growers with insights on whether their fruit is developing at the expected rate. When combined with dendrometers, which track tree water status, fruit sensors help growers optimize irrigation to achieve the best possible yield.

Why Measure Fruit Size?

Fruit size plays a crucial role in determining both yield quality and market value. As the season progresses, growers must ensure their fruit reaches the desired size within a specific timeframe. 

Research indicates that fruit size can significantly influence BRIX levels, which measures the sugar content and overall sweetness of the fruit. While every crop is different, these findings underscore the importance of monitoring fruit size, as it directly impacts the quality and marketability of the produce.

What Does Measuring Fruit Size Tell Me?

Phytech’s advanced fruit sensors provide continuous, real-time data on fruit growth, offering insights into how different factors, such as irrigation, climate conditions, and tree health, impact size development. 

Fruit size directly impacts sugar accumulation and overall fruit quality. BRIX levels, which indicate sugar concentration, often have an inverse relationship with fruit size; smaller fruits tend to have higher sugar density, while excessive sizing from over-irrigation can dilute sugars and reduce flavor intensity. By identifying areas where fruit is undersized, oversized, or deviating from expected growth patterns, you can take proactive steps to correct course.

How Can I Achieve My Target Fruit Size?

At the start of the season, growers set their target fruit size and expected harvest date. Phytech’s app then generates a precise growth trajectory to help steer fruit toward this goal. Think of it as a navigation system. Your fruit follows a path, while you, the grower, make key decisions to keep it on track. By adjusting irrigation strategies or harvest timing, you can ensure fruit reaches its optimal size at the right moment.

If fruit size lags behind the trajectory, it suggests an opportunity to stimulate growth. Growers can intervene early by adjusting irrigation frequency. If growth exceeds the curve, stress techniques can be applied to slow the pace. Overly rapid growth can lead to softness, splitting, or lower sugar concentration (BRIX). Slowing growth by reducing irrigation can allow the fruit to firm up, concentrate sugars, and develop color more evenly.

Optimizing Irrigation for Fruit Growth

As trees transition from vegetative to reproductive stages, irrigation strategies must adapt accordingly. Traditionally, maximizing trunk growth was key to yield potential, but during fruit development, precise water management becomes critical. Phytech’s app provides irrigation recommendations based on real-time plant data, helping growers balance fruit growth while maintaining tree health.

Help us help you achieve the perfect fruit every time with real-time plant monitoring. Contact a Phytech Customer Success Manager for a product demo.

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