Manuela Zude-Sasse

About

Manuela Zude-Sasse is a leading figure in precision horticulture, whose work bridges the gap between plant physiology and cutting-edge sensing technology. Her research focuses on non-destructive fruit analysis, crop load management, and the development of optical sensors for real-time quality assessment. She is best known for pioneering the use of LiDAR-derived Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) to estimate fruit ripeness and chlorophyll content directly in the orchard. Her 2023 paper on *in-situ* fruit analysis using LiDAR 3D point clouds (35 citations) introduced a feasible method for measuring fruit number, size, and ripeness simultaneously, while her 2024 follow-up on tomato fruit (20 citations) refined NDVI-based ripeness detection. Earlier, her work on tree-adapted flower thinning (2016, 16 citations) demonstrated how cultivar-specific management can optimize apple yield and quality. With over 3,000 total citations, Zude-Sasse has shaped modern precision agriculture by enabling growers to make data-driven decisions. Her contributions are vital for sustainable fruit production, reducing waste, and improving food quality through non-invasive, automated monitoring.

Research Focus

Key Achievements

Top Papers

1. 1
   In-situ fruit analysis by means of LiDAR 3D point cloud of normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI)

   35 citations · 2023
2. 2
   Chlorophyll content estimation and ripeness detection in tomato fruit based on NDVI from dual wavelength LiDAR point cloud data

   20 citations · 2024
3. 3
   Influence of tree-adapted flower thinning on apple yield and fruit quality considering cultivars with different predisposition in fructification

   16 citations · 2016

Key Collaborators

Contact & Links