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The NZ designed and built Pollensmart is an interesting development in the mechanical pollination of orchards.
With kiwifruit being the "go to" good food of the 21st century, it was inevitable that orchard prices would skyrocket.
To make the most of such investments, it goes without saysing that the production of high yielding uniform crops is the main way to ease that high investment pain.
Pollensmart, designed and built in New Zealand and covered by global patents, is an interesting development in the mechanical pollination of orchards.
Built around a heavy-duty galvanised steel chassis, a PTO-driven fan unit delivers an air blast from four pollen blower outlets positioned about 80cm apart. These push turbulent air to all areas of the crop canopy. In the same operation, a vacuum inlet at the rear of the machine, 'recovers' any surplus pollen and reintroduces it into the blower line.
The fact that pollen typically costs around $5,000/kg, with a coverage of 2ha to 4ha per kg, means that accuracy of application is vital. In the case of Pollensmart, the integral pollen dispenser maintains an accurate feed rate to the blower assemblies. This helps to reduce wastage, while the process is also said to promote bee activity during the process.
Trial results suggest that use of the unit can help deliver up to $10,000 per hectare increases in revenue. This is largely driven by perfect pollination achieving 88% of fruit suitable for export, compared to the more 47% achieved with "bees only" pollination.
The manufacturer says kiwifruit has a very short window for optimal pollination, often only lasting a few days. Using the machine, typically with three applications, allows a grower to pollinate flowers at the optimal time.
This helps create a more evenly pollinated crop and consistently sized fruit.
It is available in single or double set-ups, to cover 3.5m wide or 5m wide orchards, respectively.
"Pollensmart takes away the uncertainty of waiting for a contractor to arrive in that critical time window," explains Wilco Klein-Ovink from the company.
"It also only need tractor of around 30hp to do the job. However, overall success is achieved by an accurate forward speed of 5km/h and the PTO running at a constant 440 rpm."
Massey Ferguson has announced a strategic supply partnership with International Tractors Limited (ITL), a manufacturer of low-horsepower and compact tractors, with recognised brands such as Sonalika and Sollis, to expand its portfolio with a new tractor range.
With the biannual Italian EIMA machinery Expo less than a month away, Case IH has taken out a Technical Evolution award for the Advanced Vehicle Suspension system available on its Optum 360–440 series tractors.
The Advanced Vehicle Suspension system, available on Optum 360, 390, and 440 models, responds to changing conditions, automatically adjusting how the suspension reacts to absorbs shocks and controlling vehicle movement.
In operation, sensors monitor the vibrations transmitted from the tractor chassis to the operator cabin, allowing the system to adjust suspension damping in real time. The control system incorporates key priorities, such as comfort at lower speeds and stability as speed increases, while also reacting to factors such as lower tyre pressures, where the tyres absorb more of the initial shock.
Case IH said as suspension requirements change throughout the working day, as tractors move between the paddock and road transport, the system manages suspension response in the background as tasks, speeds and conditions change, leaving the operator without the need to make manual adjustments.
Richard Hollins, Optum series tractors global product manager, said: “Pioneering technology must earn its place in the working day. Farmers and contractors will judge an investment by what it delivers, including manageable ownership costs, dependable up-time and the versatility to tackle different jobs. With AVS, we are putting intelligent control to work for comfort and stability, without giving the operator another setting to manage.”
Organised by FederUnacoma, the Italian Agricultural Machinery Manufacturers Federation, the contest has been part of EIMA since 1986, with the Technical Evolution distinction awarded to products that introduce original improvements to solutions already manufactured or patented.
www.caseih.com
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