With the final year now in motion, we look back at the scientific contributions, stories, and outreach that have defined this period. From a dynamic consortium meeting in Serbia that bridged science and grower perspectives, to new peer-reviewed publications, practical tech briefs, and fresh episodes of our Spotlight and Data Stories series.
Whether it is using AI to predict fruit cracking or sharing real-world insights from orchards, we are bringing the pieces together to support growers where it matters most. Here is a look at what we have been up to!
Third CrackSense Consortium Meeting
The 3rd CrackSense Consortium Meeting (Novi Sad, 23–25 February 2026) brought partners together to review progress on fruit cracking detection and prediction, UAV-based monitoring, data collection across 22 pilot plots, and TOMMY data integration. Furthermore, we focused on data management and the development of the Fruit Cracking Decision Support System.
The meeting also featured a public panel on challenges and solutions in fruit production, where we talked about why cracking happens, which varieties are more resistant, how monitoring and prediction can reduce losses, and what role strategy and policy play.
Panel participants included prominent consortium and local experts:
- Victor Alchanatis, D.Sc., Research Scientist, Volcani Institute
- Avi Sadka, Ph,D., Professor of Plant Sciences, Volcani Institute
- Dr Andreas Winkler, Scientific Director, LVGA
- Prof. Dr Nenad Magazin, Dean, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Novi Sad
Our final stop was the field trip in Sremski Karlovci, where we toured the Sremski Karlovci Living Lab, followed by a visit to the wine cellar, where science, agriculture, and tradition naturally came together over lunch and wine tasting.
This meeting laid a strong foundation for the final phase of the project.
See the highlights from the meeting in Novi Sad in our video!
CrackSense in the Media: TV Coverage of Fruit Cracking Challenges
The public panel also offered a valuable opportunity to engage with the Serbian media, highlighting the importance of fruit cracking and the ways CrackSense addresses it. Sandra Kolarić and Tamara Trninic Gondi from Foodscale Hub discussed the issue on Radio-televizija Vojvodine, explaining why cracking remains a challenge for growers and how the project provides solutions. The panel was also featured in the daily agricultural news programme, showcasing key moments from the discussion and statements from Sandra and Prof. Dr Nenad Magazin, Dean of the Faculty of Agriculture in Novi Sad.
Watch the programmes here (in Serbian):
CrackSense in Media: Articles You Shouldn’t Miss
The panel generated coverage both on TV and in relevant agricultural portals, highlighting the event itself while also discussing fruit cracking in cherries, table grapes, pomegranates, and citrus, the role of CrackSense, and the potential for early detection.
We also continued our collaboration with the Wikifarmer portal, generating two more articles that explored fruit cracking under field conditions and the use of precision farming to detect and prevent it.
New Scientific Insights from CrackSense
The year has started strong for CrackSense with a new peer-reviewed publication. The paper, from the Leibniz Institute for Agricultural Engineering and Bioeconomy (ATB), focuses on the geometric and radiometric analysis of dual-wavelength NIR-LiDAR scanning to estimate physiological parameters and free water in apple tree canopies.
Tech Brief 1: Spatial Decision Support for Fruit Cracking
Published in March by the Agriculture University of Athens, the first CrackSense tech brief presents a Spatial Decision Support System that uses multi-source data and AI to assess fruit cracking risk at tree, orchard, and regional scales, providing actionable insights to help growers, advisors, and policy makers reduce crop losses and improve fruit quality.
Three New Spotlight On Features
In these episodes of our Spotlight series, CrackSense partners share their expertise on understanding and mitigating fruit cracking across different crops.
- Firstly, we discovered the complex factors behind fruit cracking in sweet cherries, from environmental and agronomic influences to varietal traits. Dr. José Quero Garcia (INRAE) shares strategies to help growers protect their crops and improve fruit quality.
- Dr. Nicolas Tapia Zapata (ATB) explores fruit cracking through an engineering lens, combining sensing technologies with mathematical analysis. Learn how precision horticulture can uncover new ways to reduce cracking in multiple crops.
- Dr. Amnon Lichter (Volcani Institute) explains the main causes of fruit cracking in grapes and how certain factors can increase risk. Hear key findings from the CrackSense project and practical tips to improve grape quality.
Introducing the First Episode of CrackSense Data Stories 360°
In this inaugural episode, Sandra Kolarić (Foodscale Hub) and Luana Centorame (Agrobit) explore how digital tools, AI, and smart technologies are transforming orchard management, with a focus on cherries and the real-world challenges growers face.
Tune in to hear how precision farming is helping growers tackle these challenges, and subscribe to our channel to stay updated on upcoming episodes of CrackSense Data Stories 360°.
CrackSense Social Campaigns: Sweet Cherry Insights
During this period, our social media campaigns focused on sweet cherries, engaging our audience with a variety of content. One campaign shared fun facts about sweet cherries and encouraged interaction through polls, while another featured an infographic illustrating the stages of cherry development.
We also published a blog, Fruit Cracking Unpacked: Lessons from a Sweet Cherry Pilot, highlighting insights from our pilot study. This sweet cherry–focused period is just the beginning, as we plan to expand similar campaigns across all fruit crops in the coming months.
