Artificial Pollination of Japanese Pear and Kiwifruit Using Electrostatic Pollen Dusting Machines

Abstract

Artificial pollination using electrostatic techniques is predicted to reduce pollen consumption and increase the amount of pollen adhesion. In this study, we conducted detailed experiments on artificial pollination of Japanese pear and kiwifruit using electrostatic pollen-dusting machines. Dusted Japanese pear and kiwifruit pollen using electrostatic pollen-dusting machines maintained high germinating rates. From visual observations, the amount of pollen increased when using electrostatic pollen-dusting machines; however, the amount of sprayed pollen was reduced by approximately 50%. Electrostatically pollinated kiwifruit and Japanese pear did not show lower fruit weight, sugar content, or acid, compared with practice pollination. Thus, electrostatic pollination did not influence fruit quality. The most adequate pollen dilution was 20-times in Japanese pear and 40-times in kiwifruit. In Japanese pear, the increase in the quantify of pollen adhesion using the electrostatic pollen-dusting machine and 20-times pollen dilution was similar to that of the 10-times pollen mating machine and 500-times liquid pollination, but it was slightly inferior in comparison with that of the 10-times bonten. Our findings indicate that electrostatic pollen dusting machines are capable of reducing pollen usage by improving the adhesion strength of pollen and lowering the sprayed pollen dilution.