Hands-on experience on dry matter estimation in pears in recent study.

Dry matter (DM) is known as a quality metric in fruit production to control harvest time and forecast postharvest taste and quality. New technologies to measure dry matter are extremely important in expanding its use in research and the field.

DM content estimation helps people to observe the results of pruning on fruits at harvest and during storage. 

Common methods of DM estimation like oven or micro-oven drying, freeze drying or toluene distillation bring to loss of dry matter during the experiment, showing uncertain results, so the dry matter levels in fruit can be underreported. 

Meanwhile, near infrared (NIR) spectroscopy allows quick estimation of quality traits in fresh fruit. Sequential data fusion strategies are used to fuse the data from different portable spectrometers. 

Here you can read the research initially focused on finding the optimum levels of dry matter content in pears at harvest time, which could lead to proper ripening and meet consumer demands. The study based on application of two different portable spectrometers has shown that the differences in forecasts by the combined spectral wavelength were not very different from those made by the

A near-infrared spectrometer, the F-750 Produce Quality Meter, in contrast to alternative tools which are expensive, large and require skilled operators, is a small, handheld portable device that contains miniaturized NIR spectroscopy. It can also record titratable acidity, SSC, and external and internal color.

Its non-destructive DM estimation method allows the same fruits to be measured several times to estimate several quality parameters. Moreover, the tool has a model building software complemented by user-friendly instructions that make it easy to customize the tools for varieties. 

The built-in GPS device and its compatibility with harvest mapping software can help in harvesting at the right time. 

The F-750 is designed for use throughout the fresh produce supply chain, from retail shops to farms.