By Armin Werner
Principal Science Advisor
Lincoln Agritech
New Zealand’s horticultural sector, particularly its globally significant apple industry, faces ongoing challenges in maintaining fruit health and quality. Addressing these concerns often requires new approaches and strategic partnerships, such as those that Lincoln Agritech has formed within the STELLA project.
STELLA research uses advanced digital technologies to develop and implement enhanced plant health management, including early disease detection, comprehensive territory surveillance, and effective phytosanitary measures. When preparing the project proposal, STELLA contacted New Zealand colleagues who also work in this digital area. As a result, the project now includes apple production, creating a win-win situation for the European project consortium and New Zealand’s horticultural research and development efforts.
For Lincoln Agritech’s researchers, the project has established a valuable collaboration with international researchers at leading European universities and research organisations. It has also fostered new and beneficial connections with European industry stakeholders and aims for similar interactions with companies in New Zealand. For the European researchers, it has created a counter-seasonal research ability.
Figure 1: Harvesting apples by hand.
Source: Paul Sutherland Photography
FOCUS ON APPLES
The groundwork for this apple use case pilot occurred in Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand’s premier apple-growing region. Lincoln Agritech began by conducting in-depth interviews to assess the industry’s current disease management practices and identify how the anticipated risk assessment tools developed within STELLA could be beneficial.
STELLA’s research and development activities complement a New Zealand apple pest research and management project titled “Smart & Sustainable” (S&S). This industry project, co-funded (40%) by the New Zealand Government, targets future pest management in the apple industry, focusing strongly on the expectations of New Zealand’s apple export markets.
research synergies
Recognising potential synergies, colleagues from Plant & Food Research (Nari Williams and Peter Wood) invited the STELLA project to conduct their UCP work within their ongoing N. alba disease management trials, which form part of the S&S project. Through this collaboration, STELLA has provided advanced sensors from its European industry partners to facilitate the collection of N. alba spores within the trials for subsequent polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis.
Additionally, camera-based sensors from Greece are being used to assess detailed canopy features of apple tree rows. To provide a comprehensive overview, Lincoln Agritech has collected orchard site data, crop management practices, and aerial images of the tree blocks using an unmanned aerial vehicle (drone), complemented by satellite images.
Figure 2: Apple picking in full bloom.
Source: Paul Sutherland Photography
The spore-sampling devices are specifically designed to monitor the rain-splash dispersal and subsequent infection patterns of N. alba. The camera sensor technology gathers crucial data on apple crop management and specific canopy characteristics, such as fruit counts and foliar density.
Initial data collection occurred within established orchard trials during the 2024/25 growing season. This foundational data now guides the preliminary stages of developing STELLA’s predictive risk model for N. alba, complemented by New Zealand’s risk assessment and management tools, promising more effective and targeted disease management strategies for the future.
The author acknowledges the use of AI language technology to support the research and drafting of this post. Any errors or opinions are my own.
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