From dawn to midnight, Huang Qijun nurtures and tends to 10,056 durian trees, every day.
By late March, the mild weather in China’s southernmost province of Hainan – with occasional overcast skies and light showers – ushered in the flowering season for durian trees. And Huang got to work.
On this nearly 40-hectare (99-acre) durian orchard that is mostly managed by only one caretaker, much of the work is handled by machines: each tree is equipped with sensors that monitor temperature and humidity. So, when one needs water, Huang receives an alert on his smartphone. With a simple tap of the app, towering irrigation sprinklers beside the tree activate instantly.
Yet, not all tasks can be delegated to smart systems. Weeding, for instance, remains a hands-on job. Most durian trees grow on steep slopes – impossible terrain for robots to work – so Huang must clear the relentless weeds manually, day after day.
And at night, when the fragrant white blossoms open, pollination – another task to be done manually – begins.
On some trees that were ahead of schedule, clusters of young fruits have already reached the size of cherries. As they grow bigger, Huang will inspect them one by one, selecting only the best to keep. Then he will carefully tie the chosen ones with thin twine to branches so when summer arrives and the durians ripen, they will not abruptly fall to the ground.
