TECHNOLOGIES FOR ASSESSING AND GRADING QUALITY AND CONDITION OF CUCUMBERS AND TREE FRUITS

The overall research goal is to develop new and/or improved sensing technologies for rapid, nondestructive assessment and grading of quality and condition of pickling cucumbers and tree fruits, primarily apples and cherries, during preharvest, harvest, and postharvest handling, sorting and processing. Specific objectives are to: 1) develop new techniques and systems for assessing and grading quality and maturity of apples; 2) develop an optical technique for rapid detection of pits and pit fragments in processed tart cherries; and 3) develop nondestructive sensing methods and techniques for detecting and segregating defective and inferior cucumbers to assure the keeping and processing quality of pickling cucumbers.