Vaknin, Y., Department of Plant Sciences, George S. Wise Fac. of Life Sciences, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel, Department of Plant Sciences, George S. Wise Fac. of Life Sciences, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv 69978, Israel Gan-Mor, S., Inst. of Agricultural Engineering, Agricultural Research Organization, Volcani Center, Bet Dagan, Israel, Inst. of Agricultural Engineering, Agricultural Research Organization, Volcani Center, P.O. Box 6, Bet Dagan 50250, Israel Bechar, A., Dept. of Indust. Eng. and Management, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel, Dept. of Indust. Eng. and Management, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva 84105, Israel Ronen, B., Inst. of Agricultural Engineering, Agricultural Research Organization, Volcani Center, Bet Dagan, Israel, Inst. of Agricultural Engineering, Agricultural Research Organization, Volcani Center, P.O. Box 6, Bet Dagan 50250, Israel Eisikowitch, D., Department of Plant Sciences, George S. Wise Fac. of Life Sciences, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel, Department of Plant Sciences, George S. Wise Fac. of Life Sciences, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv 69978, Israel
This paper reviews research on the role of electrostatic forces in pollination, both in natural and in agricultural systems. Researchers from various fields of biological studies have reported phenomena which they related to electrostatic forces. The theory of electrostatically mediated pollen transfer between insect pollinators and the flowers they visit is described, including recent studies which confirmed that the accumulated charges on airborne honey bees are sufficient for non-contact pollen detachment by electrostatic forces (i.e., electrostatic pollination). The most important morphological features in flower adaptiveness to electrostatic pollination were determined by means of two theoretical models of a flower exposed to an approaching charged cloud of pollen; they are style length and flower opening. Supplementary pollination by using electrostatic techniques is reported, and its possible importance in modern agriculture is discussed.
Also published in the book "Pollen and pollination":
Vaknin, Y., Department of Plant Sciences, George S. Wise Fac. of Life Sciences, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel, Department of Plant Sciences, George S. Wise Fac. of Life Sciences, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv 69978, Israel Gan-Mor, S., Inst. of Agricultural Engineering, Agricultural Research Organization, Volcani Center, Bet Dagan, Israel, Inst. of Agricultural Engineering, Agricultural Research Organization, Volcani Center, P.O. Box 6, Bet Dagan 50250, Israel Bechar, A., Dept. of Indust. Eng. and Management, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, Israel, Dept. of Indust. Eng. and Management, Ben Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva 84105, Israel Ronen, B., Inst. of Agricultural Engineering, Agricultural Research Organization, Volcani Center, Bet Dagan, Israel, Inst. of Agricultural Engineering, Agricultural Research Organization, Volcani Center, P.O. Box 6, Bet Dagan 50250, Israel Eisikowitch, D., Department of Plant Sciences, George S. Wise Fac. of Life Sciences, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv, Israel, Department of Plant Sciences, George S. Wise Fac. of Life Sciences, Tel-Aviv University, Tel-Aviv 69978, Israel
The role of electrostatic forces in pollination
This paper reviews research on the role of electrostatic forces in pollination, both in natural and in agricultural systems. Researchers from various fields of biological studies have reported phenomena which they related to electrostatic forces. The theory of electrostatically mediated pollen transfer between insect pollinators and the flowers they visit is described, including recent studies which confirmed that the accumulated charges on airborne honey bees are sufficient for non-contact pollen detachment by electrostatic forces (i.e., electrostatic pollination). The most important morphological features in flower adaptiveness to electrostatic pollination were determined by means of two theoretical models of a flower exposed to an approaching charged cloud of pollen; they are style length and flower opening. Supplementary pollination by using electrostatic techniques is reported, and its possible importance in modern agriculture is discussed.
Also published in the book "Pollen and pollination":