The collaboration will pinpoint varieties that align with robotic systems in high-tech greenhouses
Fresh produce breeder Rijk Zwaan and German agritech startup Eternal.ag have announced a collaboration exploring which tomato varieties can support robotic crop work operations in greenhouses.
By sharing knowledge and insights, the initiative aims to better understand which plant characteristics are suited for a future where crop work in greenhouse environments is fully automated.
The companies said they will explore which crop traits are most suitable for autonomous tasks in greenhouses such as harvesting and other activities.
By experimenting with new ways crops grow and behave, the collaboration will focus on exploring tomato varieties that better align with robotic systems in high-tech greenhouses.
This includes identifying traits such as improved fruit accessibility and plant topologies that enable consistent performance by robotics.
The initiative responds to a growing structural challenge in the sector, the groups stated.
Labour shortages continue to impact greenhouse operations and food production globally, accelerating the need for automation.
“Robotics will play an important role in the future of automatic greenhouses,” said Michiel Zwaan, crop manager berries and tomato at Rijk Zwaan.
“That’s why working together is important. This collaboration gives us the chance to try things out in practice.”
Eternal.ag co-founder and CEO Renji John added: “The collaboration represents a future vision of blending advanced research, technical expertise, and real-world application.
“By bridging the gap between robotics and crop genetics, the goal is to improve future crop performance, while addressing long-term food production challenges in a future where greenhouse automation is essential.”
As part of the collaboration, Eternal.ag’s Harvester robot will be demonstrated at Rijk Zwaan’s trial centre high-tech in De Lier, the Netherlands.
