Felix Instruments has developed a new tool that enables growers and packers to accurately and non-destructively measure the internal quality of mangoes.
The Mango Quality Meter measures dry matter and Brix in seconds, doing away with the need for more labour-intensive and destructive testing methods.
The instrument integrates with FruitMaps, a crop mapping application that makes easier monitoring of mango crops in a non-invasive, non-destructive way.
“I am extremely excited about this new tool, both for growers and distributors,” said Scott Trimble, marketing director for Felix Instruments. “This is a significant technological advancement for the worldwide mango industry.
“Our goal has always been to help producers make better decisions at harvest. Utilising the Mango Quality Meter means more actionable data, the ability to reduce time and labour, and the complete elimination of the need to destroy fruit for testing. These are huge steps for the industry.”
The meter, which will be launched on 30 July, has been developed jointly with Kerry Walsh of Central Queensland University and Dr Jorge Osuna of INIFAP.
Based in the US Pacific Northwest, Felix Instruments designs and builds instruments for the agricultural and environmental fields.
Trimble, who recently presented the new tool at the Australian Mango Industry Association conference, explained that once the dry matter reading is taken, the data is transferred via Wi-Fi to a crop mapping application for analysis and sharing.
With FruitMaps, growers can achieve a complete understanding of their crop’s maturity. Co-created with Central Queensland University, FruitMaps provides mapping and visualisation of crop maturity, enabling growers to see how different regions and zones within their crop are progressing.
The meter’s calibration and firmware were explicitly designed for dry matter and Brix readings. The unit is also highly portable, benefiting growers tremendously who have fields in various locations or regions.
According to the company, the device is also generating a high level of demand among mango distributors.
