Temporal changes in Lycium barbarum fruit separation force and hardness during selective harvesting

Area of Science:

• Agricultural Science
• Horticulture
• Food Science

Background:

• Lycium barbarum (wolfberry) is a nutrient-rich Solanaceae plant vital to Chinese agriculture.
• Mechanized harvesting of wolfberry reduces costs but struggles with inconsistent fruit quality.
• Variability in wolfberry quality necessitates research into optimal harvesting practices.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the correlation between harvesting time, fruit maturity, and variety on Lycium barbarum fruit separation force and hardness.
• To establish optimal harvesting times for different wolfberry cultivars to enhance quality.
• To improve the efficiency and consistency of selectively mechanized wolfberry harvesting.

Main Methods:

• Experiments conducted in Qinghai Province during the 2023 harvest season.
• Investigated two primary cultivars: Ningqi No. 1 and Ningqi No. 7.
• Analyzed fruits across three maturity stages, harvested at different times of day.

Main Results:

• Fruit separation force and hardness are significantly influenced by harvesting time, cultivar, and maturity level.
• Optimal harvest timing varies between Lycium barbarum cultivars.
• Ningqi No.1 showed best results when harvested between 17:00-21:00.
• Ningqi No.7 was optimal for morning harvests (7:00-9:00).

Conclusions:

• Harvesting time is a critical factor in Lycium barbarum quality.
• Specific harvesting windows exist for different cultivars to maximize quality.
• Findings support the development of precise, time-specific mechanized harvesting protocols for wolfberry.