ISHS Acta Horticulturae 297: II International Symposium on Kiwifruit
DEVELOPMENT OF MECHANICAL DRY-POLLEN APPLICATION TO KIWIFRUIT |
| Authors: | A.M. Ferguson, W.M. Pusch |
| Keywords: | pollen capture, insects, aerodynamics, electrostatics, acoustics |
| Abstract:
Pistillate kiwifruit flowers captured viable pollen without insect visitation. It was postulated that air currents were the vector. The aerodynamics of pistillate flowers and staminate pollen were analysed and both electrostatic charges and acoustics were implicated in pollination. The results suggested that kiwifruit flowers are adapted to capture dry pollen transferred by both insects and air currents. These concepts were the basis for the construction of a machine to apply dry pollen to kiwifruit. This device was successfully used in field tests at isolated orchards without staminate flowers. | |
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