JP2002112653A - Automatic pollination device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an automatic pollination device capable of automatically adding the vibration required for the pollination of a plant 2 to the plant 2 without damaging a stem and a flower, and capable of adding the required minimum vibration for the pollination. SOLUTION: This automatic pollination device has a flexible main line 5 nearly horizontally stretched above the plants 2 planted in an arable land 1, flexible branch lines 6 vertically stretched between the arable land 1 and the main line 5, connected to limbs 3 and lateral branches 14 of the plants 2, and supporting the limbs 3 and the lateral branches 14, and a vibrator 9 for vibrating the branch lines 6 through the main line 5 by vibrating the main line 5.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to the cultivation of plants such as tomatoes, eggplants and peppers, for example, by dispersing pollen from the stamen's anthers in the inflorescence for fertilization, which is a necessary condition for fruit set. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an automatic pollinator to be attached to a stigma, and to an automatic pollinator that can automatically pollinate a closed space such as a greenhouse without using bumblebees and without human intervention.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Tomatoes, eggplants, bell peppers and the like are originally wind-borne flowers, and when cultivated in a natural state, the flowering period is from late spring to summer, and insect pollination and wind-borne pollination in the field are performed. However, today, when the year-round supply of fruits has become common, cultivation in the low temperature season is performed in closed spaces such as greenhouses such as vinyl houses and glass houses. During the cultivation season from spring to summer, to stabilize fruit production, the ceiling was covered with vinyl and shifted to a side-opening rain shelter, and cultivation was conducted in a closed space in the facility for the entire year. Have been done.

[0003] When cultivating plants in such a closed space, natural pollination by wind media, insects and the like cannot be expected.
For this reason, pollination is carried out by manually vibrating the inflorescence or by actively spraying auxin-type hormones on flowering flowers to artificially set fruit. In particular, solanaceous plants such as tomatoes are difficult to pollinate naturally in facilities such as greenhouses.
Artificial fruiting such as hormone treatment is required.

[0004] Hormonal treatment has a large effect on fruit set and pericarp enlargement, but has little effect on enlargement of placenta and jelly in fruit. In addition, depending on the treatment conditions, there is a problem that the effect of the hormone is too strong, and only the hypertrophy of the pericarp is promoted, and the cavitation of the fruit is caused. Further, if the hormone treatment is performed more than necessary, there are problems such as the occurrence of teratological fruits, and sufficient consideration is required for the work. For this reason, hormone treatment requires experience and skill, for example, it is necessary to determine the timing of the treatment, and it is necessary to adjust the concentration of the hormonal agent according to the temperature and the like.

[0005] The working time required for the hormone treatment is about 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours once per 10 ares, and the total processing time during the cropping period is 45 hours to 6 hours.
Up to 5 hours. Moreover, during the flowering treatment period, other operations important for fruit enlargement are overlapped, and it is extremely busy.
Since buds cannot be hormonally treated, they must be treated in the order in which they bloom and must be sprayed several times during cultivation. Moreover, it is necessary to work so that the bud is not exposed to hormones, which is a severe labor.

[0006] From such a problem, attention has been paid to a method of artificially releasing a bumblebee, a flower visiting insect, into a house and pollinating the house. The bumblebee used in this case is
It is an exotic species of Bumble Bee and is used for greenhouse cultivation by import. However, there is a problem that operation costs are high, such as the need to add colonies during cultivation.
In addition, this exotic species of the European bumblebee is highly competitive, and if it escapes and becomes wild, it causes the decline of the Japanese native bumblebee fauna, and through this, the breeding of wild plants through which native bumblebees have intervened. Is a problem from the viewpoint of the environment and ecosystems.

[0007] There is an electric pollination vibrator as an agricultural implement for dispersing pollen to promote fertilization. In this method, pollen is scattered by applying vibration to a stem or flower, and the tip of a vibrating rod is applied to the stem or flower to scatter pollen. However, the conventional electric pollination vibrating device has a small amplitude width, and pollen is hardly scattered depending on the type of flower. In addition, vibration must be applied to each hand while holding the hand, which makes the work cumbersome, and the vibration applied to the hand during the work is large, resulting in a problem of hand fatigue. In addition, the vibration is transmitted directly from the tip of the rod to the stems and flowers of the plant, so that they are easily damaged.

[0008]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above-mentioned problems in the conventional pollination means, the present invention is capable of automatically applying vibration to a plant for pollination of the plant without manual operation. It is an object of the present invention to provide an automatic pollinator capable of applying necessary and minimum vibration to pollination without damaging the flowers and flowers.

[0009]

In order to achieve the above object, according to the present invention, in growing a crop such as a tomato or an eggplant, a flexible branch line such as a piano wire is used as a column for holding the plant 2 when the plant 2 is held. Are stretched vertically, and the branch line 6 is connected to a part of the plant 2 via a branch line 7 to vibrate the branch line 6 horizontally.

That is, the automatic pollinator according to the present invention comprises:
The plant 2 is stretched vertically near the plant 2 vegetated on the arable land 1.
And a flexible branch line 6 for supporting the plant 2 and a vibrator 9 for vibrating the branch line 6. More specifically, this automatic pollinator includes a flexible trunk 5 stretched substantially horizontally on a plant 2 vegetated on a cultivated land 1 and a cultivated land 1 near the plant 2. And between the main line 5 and
By vibrating the branch line 6 connected to a part of the plant 2 and having flexibility to support the plant 2 and the trunk line 5,
A vibrator 9 for vibrating the branch line 6 via the trunk line 5 is provided.

For example, the branch line 6 is connected to the main branch 3 and the side branch 14 of the plant 2 by a plurality of flexible branch lines 7 connected at intervals. As the flexible branch line 6 and the branch line 7, elastic and taut ones such as a piano wire which is a carbon steel wire for a spring are used. Alternatively, in the case of the branch line 7 and the connecting portion 8, a string or the like is used.

In such an automatic pollinator, the main line 5 is vibrated by the vibrator 9 to vibrate the branch line 6 instead of the column connected to the main branch 3 or the side branch 14 of the plant 2.
As a result, the main branch 3 and the side branch 14 of the plant 2 are vibrated, and the flower cluster 11 attached to the main branch 3 and the side branch 14 is vibrated. At this time, the vibration of the vibrator 9 does not directly reach the main branch 3 and the side branch 14 of the plant 2, but the vibration of the vibrator 9 is transmitted through the flexible main line 5 and the branch line 6. Therefore, strong vibration does not reach the main branch 3 and the side branch 14 of the plant 2. In this way, no plant damage occurs.

Furthermore, by using the flexible trunk line 5 and branch line 6, the vibration cycle of the vibrator 9 is transmitted to the plant 2 at a higher cycle, and as a result, a high frequency vibration is generated in the plant 2. . This enabled efficient pollination. In particular, when a trunk line 5 is stretched on the plant 2 vegetated on the cultivated land 1 and a branch line 6 is vertically stretched between the trunk line 5 and the cultivated land 1, the branch line 6 is based on a fixed end on the cultivated land side. Vibrates as For this reason, the vibration of the branch line 6 is zero on the cultivated land side at the lower end and becomes maximum on the trunk line 5 side at the upper end. For this reason,
Since the upper side of the main branch 3 of the plant 2 can be largely shaken from the position rising from the cultivated land, the main branch 3
The upper side of the main branch 3 having many flower clusters 11 can be swung more without applying excessive force to the side branches 14. Therefore, pollen can be efficiently scattered from the anthers of the inflorescence 11 without damaging the plant 2.

When the flexible branch line 7 is connected to the main branch 3 or the side branch 14 of the plant 2 via the connecting portion 8 made of an elastic body, the probability of damaging the main branch 3 or the side branch 14 of the plant 2 is increased. Is further reduced. Furthermore, in this automatic pollinator, if the vibrator 9 is driven, the entire plant 2 can be vibrated by the branch line 6 and the flower cluster 11 can be vibrated, so that automatic pollination is possible. In particular, when a trunk line 5 is stretched on the plant 2 vegetated on the cultivated land 1 and a branch line 6 is vertically stretched between the trunk line 5 and the cultivated land 1, a plurality of vibrations can be obtained simply by vibrating one trunk line 5. Since the branch line 6 can be vibrated at the same time, the main branch 3 and the side branch 14 of the plurality of plants 2 can be vibrated by one vibrator 9. For this reason, it becomes possible to pollinate many plants automatically.

[0015]

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described specifically and in detail with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a side view showing a state in which an automatic pollinator is installed on cultivated land for cultivating crops such as tomatoes and eggplants, and FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of a main part thereof.

In the arable land 1, ridges are formed to facilitate drainage and facilitate cultivation, and along the ridges, plants 2 are vegetated at appropriate intervals as crops such as tomatoes and eggplants. The pollination time is when the plant 2 blooms and the flower cluster 11 is opened. When a seed plant grows to a certain size, it begins to produce a flower, which is a reproductive organ, and blooms. Pistils and stamens are formed in the inflorescence, and the pollen mother cells undergo meiosis in the anthers at the tips of the stamens to form pollen. In plants of the Solanaceae family such as tomato and eggplant, this anther is in the form of a capsule, and pollination is performed in the presence of wind or insects. However, as described above, in the present situation where plants such as tomatoes and eggplants are cultivated in facilities such as greenhouses, artificial pollination is required.

In order to install an automatic pollinator, first, columns 4 and 4 are set up on both ends of the ridge of the cultivated land 1. This pillar 4,
A linear body having flexibility and elasticity is stretched substantially horizontally between the four and is referred to as a trunk line 5. An anchor 12 is fixed near the root of the plant on the cultivated land 1, and a branch line 6 made of a linear body similar to the main line 5 is extended substantially vertically between the anchor 12 and the above-described main line 5. In the middle of the branch line 6, a branch line 7 composed of a linear body similar to the trunk line 5 or the branch line 6 is extended in a branch shape at an appropriate interval, and the tip of the branch line 7 is attached to the main branch 3 or the side branch 14 of the plant 2. The connecting portion 8 is connected so as to be loosely wound one turn and connects the branch line 6 via the branch line 7.

The linear body forming the trunk line 5, the branch line 6, and the branch line 7 is a carbon steel which has flexibility and high elasticity and is used as a strand for a spring. A piano wire consisting of In addition, a thin stranded wire of about # 38 to # 45 can be used, but a piano wire is more preferable because of poor elasticity. Further, since the inside of the house is high in humidity, a rustproof piano wire is more preferable. In the case of the branch line 7, a string made of fiber or leather derived from a plant or a chemical compound can be used.

The connecting portion 8 of the branch line 7 may be configured such that the branch line 7 is loosely wound around the main branch 3 or the side branch 14 of the plant 2 and connected thereto. At the time of vibration, stress tends to concentrate on a part of the main branch 3 and the side branch 14 of the plant 2. Therefore, apart from the branch line 7, only the connecting portion 8 is made of a material such as resin, rubber or leather having a wider width and a larger elasticity, and is wound around the main branch 3 or the side branch 14 of the plant 2 to form a branch. When the line 7 is connected to the main branch 3 or the side branch 14 of the plant 2, the damage of the plant 2 is further reduced.

A vibrator 13 of a vibrator 9 held at a predetermined height by a leg 10 is brought into contact with a part of the main line 5 stretched between the above-mentioned columns 4 and 4. The vibrator 1 of the vibrator 9
By the movement of 3, the main line 5 is vibrated horizontally, vertically or obliquely with respect to the ground. The vibration of the trunk line 5 is
And the branch line 6 swings around the anchor 12. Therefore, the amplitude of the branch line 6 is zero at the lower end connected to the anchor 12 fixed to the cultivated land 1 and becomes maximum at the upper end connected to the main line 5.

The vibration of the branch line 6 is transmitted to the main branch 3 and the side branch 14 of the plant 2 via the branch line 7, and the whole plant 2 is rocked. At this time, since the branch line 6 swings with the anchor 12 as a base point, the main branch 3 of the plant also has zero vibration at the root, which is the rising portion of the cultivated land 1, and receives vibration of the maximum width at the upper side. Therefore, the main branch 3 of the plant 2 oscillates from the rising portion of the cultivated land 1 as a base point, and the amplitude above the main branch 3 with the flower cluster 11 is large.

It is said that the frequency of the wings of the bumblebee, a flower visiting insect, is about 260 to 770 Hz. On the other hand, the vibration frequency of the commercially available vibrator 9 is about 110 Hz at the highest. The vibration transmitted from the vibrator 9 to the plant 2 via the flexible trunk line 5 and the branch line 6 is added to the secondary vibration of the trunk line 5 and the branch line 6, and a small and complicated vibration is obtained. For this reason, an environment close to pollination by a flower visiting insect, the bumblebee, is obtained.

Due to this vibration, pollen is scattered from the anther at the tip of the stamen of the inflorescence 4 and adheres to the stigma of the pistil.
The fertilization of the ovule inside the pistil ovary results in pollination and fruiting. The vibratory pollination of the plant 2 by the operation of the vibrator 9 causes the plant 2
It is carried out at any time according to the flowering of. In this case, the operation of the vibrator 9 can be time-controlled by a timer or the like.

In the above-described example, cultivation using cultivated soil as the cultivated land 1 is exemplified. However, the automatic pollinator according to the present invention uses rock wool or water using bark chips having a trade name of "Peat Moss". It can also be applied in cultivation. In this case, the arable land 1 refers to a cultivation floor of the plant 2 made of such rock wool or bark chips.

[0025]

As described above, according to the present invention, in a closed space such as a greenhouse, the plant 2 can be used without using hormones or bee honeybees and without human intervention. The pollination of the plant 2 can be performed without damaging. Thereby, plant cultivation can be performed efficiently and with high productivity, and the working conditions of the agricultural work can be further improved without affecting the environment.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic side view schematically showing the entirety of an automatic pollinator according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic enlarged side view schematically showing a main part of the automatic pollination device according to the embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Arable land 2 Plant 3 Main branch of plant 5 Trunk line 6 Branch line 7 Branch line 9 Vibrator 14 Side branch of plant

[Procedure amendment]

[Submission date] October 17, 2000 (2000.10.
17)

[Procedure amendment 1]

[Document name to be amended] Statement

[Correction target item name] 0005

[Correction method] Change

[Correction contents]

[0005] The working time required for the hormone treatment is about 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours once per 10 ares, and the total processing time during the cropping period is 45 hours to 6 hours.
Up to 5 hours. Moreover, during the flowering treatment period, other operations important for fruit enlargement are overlapped, and it is extremely busy.
Since buds cannot be hormonally treated, they must be treated in the order of flowering, and require several applications during cultivation. Moreover, it is necessary to work so that the bud is not exposed to hormones, which is a severe labor.

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A device for pollinating a plant (2) vegetated on a cultivated land (1) by vibration, wherein the device is vertically stretched near the plant (2) vegetated on the cultivated land (1), and An automatic pollinator, comprising: a branch line (6) connected to a part and supporting the plant (2); and a vibrator (9) for vibrating the branch line (6). 2. A device for pollinating a plant (2) vegetated on a cultivated land (1) by vibration, wherein the flexibility stretched almost horizontally on the plant (2) vegetated on the cultivated land (1) is improved. A trunk line (5) and a plant (2) near the cultivated land (1) and the trunk line (5).
A flexible branch line (6) connected to a part of the plant (2) and supporting the plant (2), and the trunk line (5) are vibrated, so that the trunk line (5) An automatic pollinator, comprising: a vibrator (9) for vibrating the branch line (6). 3. The branch line (6) is connected to a part of the plant (2) by a plurality of flexible branch lines (7) connected at a distance to the branch line (6). Item 3. The automatic pollinator according to Item 1 or 2. 4. A flexible main line (5) and a branch line (6).
3. The automatic pollinator according to claim 1, wherein the device is made of any one of a metal, a chemical compound, leather, and plant fiber. 4. 5. The flexible branch line (7) is connected to a part of the plant (2) via a connecting portion (8) made of an elastic body. 5. The automatic pollinator according to 4.