WO1991011904A1

WO1991011904A1 - A method and a device for the pollination of plants

Info

Publication number: WO1991011904A1
Application number: PCT/FI1990/000049
Authority: WO
Inventors: Henrik RÖNNQVIST
Original assignee: Roennqvist Henrik
Priority date: 1988-08-23
Filing date: 1990-02-16
Publication date: 1991-08-22
Also published as: FI883880A; FI883880A0; FI82352B; FI82352C

Abstract

Method and device for facilitating the pollination of plants. The method replaces methods in which the whole plant or its major part is exposed to shaking to spread the pollen as well as the time-consuming and labour-intensive methods in which the pollination is carried out by using vibrators. The method uses a device which produces ultrasounds to loosen the pollen of the stamens. The device may be intended for the flowers of individual plants or for the treatment of larger groups or the entire greenhouse.

Description

A method and a device for the pollination of plants

The present invention relates to a method for the pollination of plants, wherein a part of the plant is caused to vibrate so that the pollen is loosened. The invention also concerns a device for applying the method.

It is well-known to growers of greenhouse plants that the size of crop depends on how the pol- lination succeeds. Various methods are used to im¬ prove the pollination result, including the use of a stick to beat the threads binding up tomato plants, for instance. In this way the whole plant can be shaken so that the pollen loosens from the stamens. In the method, each plant has to be treated, which takes a lot of time arid is therefore expensive. The treatment should preferably be repeated every day in the pollination season and is therefore both time- consuming and monotonous. Another known method utilizes a vibrator of some type which is placed directly against the plant to cause the plant to vibrate. The prior art methods used previously are disadvantageous in that they are time-consuming and that in order to ensure fertilization, it is necessary to shake the plant so vigorously that the plant may be damaged and symptoms of stress may occur, which, in turn, results in smaller crop. The grower may also be stricken with an occupational disease after long-term use of various vibrators.

The object of the present invention is to pro¬ vide a pollination method which is both rapid and simple. The method is characterized in that the plants are exposed to sonic waves which cause vibra- tions in the plant part. A major advantage of the method of the inven¬ tion is that the vibrations can be confined to a de¬ sired part of the plant, such as the stamens or the pollen, so that the rest of the plant will not be exposed to damage or stress. In this way the demand of energy is also small. In addition, a great number of plants can be treated simultaneously, which in¬ volves a considerable saving of time. As the method is also efficient, the crop is increased. In pollination, it is, of course, the flowers of the plant that are concentrated at. The different parts of the flowers have different specific fre¬ quencies or natural resonance value. This can be utilized when selecting the part to be exposed to vibration, such as the stamens or the pollen itself. Preferably, the produced sonic waves have a frequency corresponding to the specific frequency of the pollen, because the consumption of energy is thereby very low. The frequencies to be used vary depending on the plant to be treated and the plant part to be caused to vibrate. However, it has proved that the most suitable frequencies are normally within the ultrasonic range, i.e. the frequencies are beyond the audible frequency range. Suitable frequencies are between 15 and 50 kHz, preferably between 20 and 30 kHz. The method is applicable both indoors and out¬ doors to a single flower, a group of flowers, or all plants in a greenhouse at a time. The invention also concerns a device for the pollination of plants, comprising means for vibrating a desired part of the plant. The device is character¬ ized in that the means for vibrating the plant part are formed by a sound producing apparatus. It has also proved that sonic waves can be used for combatting insect pests, such as plant lice. According to this aspect of the invention, the insect pests are exposed to sonic waves, which causes the whole insect or its organ to vibrate. The vibration can kill the insect or destroy the vibrating organ, such as the reproduptive organ.

Example

Tomato plants were exposed to sonic waves having a frequency of about 20 000 Hz, with the result that only the pollen of the stamens in the flowers was caused to vibrate., and was thus loosened from the stamens. The stress"caused on the plants as well as the energy consumption were negligible.

Claims

Claims :

1. A method for the pollination of plants, wherein a part of the plant is caused to vibrate so that the pollen is loosened, c h a r a c t e r ¬ i z e d in that the plants are exposed to sonic waves which produce vibrations in the plant part.

2. A method according to claim 1, c h a r a c ¬ t e r i z e d by producing sonic waves having a fre- quency corresponding to the specific frequency of the plant part.

3. A method according to claim 1, c h a r a c ¬ t e r i z e d by producing sonic waves having a fre¬ quency within the ultrasonic range.

4. A method according to claim 3, c h a r a c ¬ t e r i z e d in that the frequency of the sonic waves is between 15 and 50 kHz, preferably between 20 and 30 kHz.

5. A method according to claim 1, c h a r a c - t e r i z e d in that the sonic waves are directed to the flowers of the plant.

6. A method of combatting insect pest in plants, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the insect pests are exposed to sonic waves which cause the whole insect or an organ in it to vibrate.

7. A device for the pollination of plants, com¬ prising means for vibrating a desired plant part, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the means for vibrating the plant part is formed by a sound producing apparatus.

8. A device according to claim 7, c h a r a c ¬ t e r i z e d in that the sound producing apparatus is arranged to produce ultrasounds.