Tree Health
Potential effects of mechanical harvesting on tree health have been a major concern hampering the adoption of mechanical harvesting. Depending on the type of mechanical harvesting system, the fruit variety and the timing of harvest, visible injury to trees can occur. These injuries often include leaf drop, twig loss, scuffing of the bark on trunk and branches, limb breakage, removal of flowers and young green fruit and exposure of shallow roots at the soil surface. Except for very late-season ‘Valencia’ with large young fruit, all research studies where citrus trees have been repeatedly harvested mechanically for many years have shown no reductions in yield or tree health.