Robots in the Orchard

Posted: August 1, 2025

Research team studies precision chemical thinning of apple blossoms

Robot precision sprayer vehicle in an orchard. Photo: Penn State

Apple production contributes billions to the U.S. economy. Today's apple industry faces challenges related to a labor shortage and application of excess fertilizer and chemicals, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

One of the most time-consuming, labor-intensive processes in apple production is blossom thinning, which involves manually pruning flowers so that remaining blooms can use a greater share of the plant's resources to grow better fruit. More recently, the process has shifted to broad chemical spraying, which can harm the environment.

The USDA has awarded a three-year grant of more than $600,000 to a team of Penn State researchers led by Long He, associate professor of agricultural and biological engineering in the College of Agricultural Sciences, for the development of a robotic precision spraying system.

—Jeff Mulhollem

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