By James Tababa
By JAMES TABABA
Pollination is the process by which pollen grains from the male part of a flower are transferred to the female part of the flower either on the same flower or another flower of the same species. This transfer of pollen is necessary for fertilization to occur, resulting in the production of fruits and seeds.
Pollination is important in agriculture because it is responsible for the production of many of the fruits and vegetables. Without pollination, many crops would not be able to produce fruits and seeds, resulting in a significant reduction in our food supply.
With modern agriculture practices, there has been a significant decline in the populations of natural pollinators. This is due to the use of pesticides, habitat loss, climate change, and other factors. Pollinators, such as bees, butterflies, moths, flies, and other insects, play a crucial role in the pollination of agricultural crops. In fact, many crops such as blueberries, cherries, cucumbers, melons, squash, and watermelons, require pollinators for successful fruit set and yield. Without proper pollination, these crops may not produce fruits or may produce lower yields, which can impact food production and supply. As a result, the role of artificial and mechanical methods of pollination has become increasingly important to maintain crop productivity and ensure successful fertilization of crops.
Artificial pollination involves manually transferring pollen from the male to the female reproductive parts of the plant. Artificial pollination is commonly done in crops that have low pollination rates or those that are grown in regions with low pollinator populations or in enclosed controlled environments like greenhouses which eliminate natural pollinators. Here are some artificial and mechanical methods of pollination.
Hand pollination
Hand pollination is a manual process of transferring pollen from the male reproductive part of a flower to the female reproductive part. It is often used in crops grown in greenhouses, where pollinators are not present. The process of hand pollination typically involves the use of a small brush or cotton swab to transfer pollen from the anthers, which are the male reproductive organs of the flower, to the stigma, which is the female reproductive organ. The brush or swab is gently brushed against the anthers to collect the pollen and then carefully touched to the stigma to deposit the pollen.
Vanilla heavily relies on hand pollination since the natural pollinator of vanilla orchids, a specific species of bee, is not present in many of the areas where vanilla is grown commercially. In the case of squash, having separate male and female flowers, bees and other pollinators sometimes are not able to transfer enough pollen to the female flowers to ensure a good fruit set. Hand pollination using a small brush or cotton swab can help ensure good yields. Also, in cacao, which is not self-pollinating, the trees are often hand pollinated to ensure higher yields in commercial plantations.
Hand pollination is a time-consuming and labor-intensive process, and it is typically done by workers who have been trained in the proper techniques. Despite its labor-intensive nature, hand pollination is an effective method of ensuring successful pollination in crops and can be used to increase yields and improve the quality of the resulting fruits or vegetables.
Shaking the plants
Manually shaking cucumber and tomato plants in greenhouses can help increase pollination. The shaking motion can help to dislodge pollen from the anthers and distribute it onto the stigma, increasing the chances of successful pollination. This method is sometimes used in conjunction with other artificial pollination techniques to improve crop yields in greenhouses. However, the effectiveness of this method may depend on various factors such as the size and density of the crop, the timing and frequency of shaking, and the availability of pollinators. It may be beneficial to shake the plants during peak flowering times when the flowers are most receptive to pollination. Shaking once or twice a day may be sufficient to increase pollination rates in cucumber and tomato plants.
There are also handheld vibrators available for commercial use to aid in pollination. A vibrating tool is a device used in agriculture to simulate the vibration caused by pollinators such as bees, which can help increase the pollination of crops. Using a vibrating wand on tomato plants can simulate the buzzing of bees and help release the pollen, leading to increased fruit set.
Blower pollination
The use of blowers for pollination is based on the principle that pollen grains are lightweight and can be easily moved by air currents. A blower is a tool that creates air movement, which can help distribute pollen throughout a greenhouse. By creating a controlled air flow within the greenhouse, blowers can help move pollen from the male flower to the female flower, increasing the chances of successful pollination.
Using a blower for pollination has several advantages. It is a cost-effective method that can be easily implemented in greenhouses of all sizes. It also does not require any special skills or training and can be operated by anyone. In addition, blowers can be installed and programmed to run at specific times and frequencies, which can help optimize pollination rates. However, there are also some limitations to using blowers for pollination. One potential issue is that excessive air movement can damage flowers and reduce pollination rates. Therefore, it is important to use a blower that is specifically designed for pollination or to adjust the frequency and intensity of the air flow to avoid damaging the flowers.
While artificial and mechanical pollination can help supplement the decline in natural pollinators, they are not without disadvantages. Artificial pollination can be time-consuming and labor-intensive, and it may not be as effective as natural pollination. Mechanical pollination can also be expensive, and it may cause damage to the plants. It is also important to note that artificial and mechanical pollination cannot replace natural pollinators entirely and should only be used as a supplement to natural pollination.
