Huazhong Agricultural University (HZAU) hosted its 2025 horticultural festival on Nov 22, offering an immersive celebration that fused traditional horticultural beauty with modern technology for students and Wuhan citizens.
The festival focused on biodiversity and smart farming. The Citrus Exhibition Zone captivated visitors with 120 varieties of citrus fruit, allowing guests to explore differences in shape, color, and flavor.
The section dedicated to "Smart Sensing and Precision Operation" drew significant attention. Key demonstrations included the citrus harvesting robot, a four-legged independent drive platform, and the orchard phenotyping robot. The phenotyping robot performed 360-degree "health checks", collecting real-time data on plant growth and fruit status, making unseen biological processes visible to the audience.
The agile four-legged platform executed simulated tasks like patrol, plant protection, and loading. It was able to fluidly extend its mechanical arm and use its bio-mimetic gripper to harvest a mature fruit without causing damage, illustrating the future potential of automated farming.
Beyond technology, the festival was deeply rooted in cultural experience. Attendees immersed themselves in traditional Chinese culture, witnessing elegant tea ceremonies featuring the six major Chinese teas and experiencing the tranquility of incense culture with fragrances like sandalwood and osmanthus.
The event also facilitated career development, hosting a specialized job fair where over 20 leading companies from the horticulture and forestry sectors held presentations and conducted interviews, with many students securing preliminary job offers.
The festival successfully showcased HZAU's history, academic achievements, and the central role of technological innovation in driving high-quality horticultural industry growth.

An array of fresh vegetables and fruits. [Photo/news.hzau.edu.cn]

A creative installation made using various flowers, fruits, and vegetables. [Photo/news.hzau.edu.cn]

Visitors savor different kinds of citrus fruits. [Photo/news.hzau.edu.cn]