Pollen collection device and method

Abstract

A pollen collection device for collecting pollen from crop plants includes a housing assembly and a collection hopper located below the housing assembly so as to define at least one lateral channel between the housing assembly and the collection hopper to receive a head of the crop plant, the pollen collection device including a fan disposed at a top of the housing assembly, the lateral channels are arranged to create an air flow in radial and upward directions in the lateral channels to force pollen from crop plants into the aggregate bin through the lateral mesh walls of the aggregate bin.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to an apparatus and method for collecting pollen from crop plants, and more specifically to an apparatus and related method that can be mounted on a motor vehicle for collecting pollen from plants while traveling along a row of crop plants. The invention provides an efficient solution to a key step in plant reproduction, which benefits not only maize seed producers but also producers of other commercial crops such as rice or wheat, by allowing the same solution to be applied. Background Technology

[0002] In the field of plant reproduction, pollination is achieved by transferring the male gametes (pollen) of a plant to the female recipient organ (stigma). This transfer can be influenced by wind.

[0003] For some crops, natural pollination under natural conditions may prove impossible, or more generally, insufficient pollination occurs, thus necessitating assisted artificial pollination. This assisted artificial pollination can take two forms:

[0004] - A purely artificial pollination process in which the sole source of pollen is exogenous and is applied artificially to plants that have no natural pollen source; for example, this is the case for dioecious unisexual species that must receive exogenous pollen.

[0005] - The pollen replenishment process, in which natural pollination is enhanced by adding pollen that may come from exogenous sources or from the pollinating plant itself.

[0006] Wind-pollinated plants are divided into two distinct groups: those with "normal" pollen and those with "resilient" pollen. The terms "normal" and "resilient" originate from seed names classified according to their tolerance to drying and storage properties. Seeds exhibiting good tolerance to drying and good storage properties are called "normal." Conversely, seeds that die from drying are called "resilient."

[0007] So-called "resilient" pollen requires almost immediate pollination because its viability is very short-lived and depends on maintaining high water content. This is the case with pollen from wheat (triticum sp.), barley (hordeum sp.), rice (oryza sp.), or maize (zea mays sp.). These pollen plants are not easily stored, are very fragile, and require many precautions when handling them. Artificial pollination of plants with this type of pollen involves specialized techniques and practices adapted to the very short viability of these pollen plants. Pollen viability corresponds to its reproductive potential.

[0008] A device for collecting pollen from plants and distributing it to the female organs of other plants is known from document FR2866784A1. It is known in the art that seed maize producers aim to discover the most efficient way to obtain pollen from male plants and distribute it gently, evenly, and at the correct height on female plants. For example, devices used by maize seed producers draw pollen upwards from male plants and then blow this pollen downwards onto several rows of female plants located near the male plants, all of these processes occurring simultaneously.

[0009] However, it is difficult to simultaneously control the maturation of both male and female plants, and it is also difficult to mitigate the negative effects of weather changes. Therefore, it is necessary to collect and store pollen in the most efficient way possible to allow for subsequent pollination. Thus, it is essential to enable pollen to be preserved and stored, and then applied at the optimal time to increase the yield of maize seed producers.

[0010] Furthermore, to improve pollen collection efficiency, it is necessary to enhance the flowability of the collected pollen grains, ensuring that the pollen remains in a easily flowing powder. For this purpose, a device is needed that provides high-yield collection while maintaining high reliability and viability of the collected pollen. It is necessary to overcome the shortcomings of existing technologies, which rely on suction and extraction to collect pollen, driving the pollen grains to move at relatively high speeds. Collisions at such speeds can lead to grain agglomeration, resulting in reduced pollen "reliability" and poor flowability. Summary of the Invention

[0011] Therefore, the present invention relates to a pollen collection device for collecting pollen from crop plants, the pollen collection device comprising a housing assembly and a collection hopper located below the housing assembly to define at least one lateral channel between the housing assembly and the collection hopper for receiving the head of the crop plant, the pollen collection device comprising a fan disposed at the top of the housing assembly to generate airflow in the radial and upward directions in the lateral channel to force pollen from the crop plants through the lateral mesh wall of the collection hopper into the collection hopper.

[0012] Advantageously, the pollen collection device is driven by an electric motor to move along the crop row, and the heads of the plants do not remain in the pollen collection device for extended periods. To accelerate the release of pollen through the crop heads, the pollen collection device may include a vibrating assembly attached to either the hopper or the housing assembly to vibrate the crop plants in the channel and mechanically transfer pollen from the crop plants.

[0013] Another advantage of a motor-driven pollen collection device is that it can include a safety cover and a support frame held by a frame attached to the motor-driven vehicle, which is raised above the safety cover. The safety cover surrounds the housing assembly and includes through-holes to allow airflow generated by the fan to escape upwards through the through-holes at the top of the safety cover. The safety cover prevents unwanted particles from entering the fan.

[0014] Advantageously, the pollen collection device may include a removable storage tank removably attached to the bottom of the collection hopper to collect pollen entering the collection hopper. The advantage of a removable storage tank is that the pollen collection device can operate for extended periods, requiring only replacement of the storage tank when it is full, or when it is necessary to place the collected pollen under better preservation conditions than when it is left on the pollen collection device.

[0015] Preferably, in order to mitigate pollen path deviation caused by gravity and airflow imbalance within the channel, the lateral mesh wall of the hopper forms an acute angle (α) with the vertical axis, such that the width defined in the upper part of the lateral channel is wider than the width defined in the lower part of the lateral channel.

[0016] Preferably, to operate two crop rows simultaneously, the pollen collection device includes two lateral passages on either side of the collection hopper, allowing pollen from two different rows of crops to be collected simultaneously. The collection hopper includes two opposing lateral mesh walls, causing the pollen from the two different rows to mix within the hopper. Airflow in the two passages tends to transport the pollen to the central portion of the collection hopper, where it falls due to gravity.

[0017] For example, two opposing lateral mesh walls are connected at the top by a concave mesh wall located below the fan. The mesh walls have little impact on airflow but allow for better selection of collected pollen, as the lateral mesh allows any particles up to 120% of the average diameter of the pollen to be collected to enter, while the top concave mesh wall prevents particles with a diameter of 80% of the average diameter of the pollen to be collected from entering. In other words, the concave mesh wall receives particles but prevents them from entering under any gravitational influence, even pollen particles, because these pollen particles are mixed with impurities and covered with an impurity film that affects their reliability. Therefore, the collected pollen has higher reliability. For example, for an average pollen diameter of 80 μm, the average diameter of the pores in the lateral mesh wall is about 1 mm, while the average diameter of the pores in the concave mesh wall is about 70 μm.

[0018] To improve airflow along the channels, the device may include an electrically driven motor located above the housing assembly and several fans along the longitudinal axis of the pollen collection device, with the lateral channels parallel to the longitudinal axis, and all fans being independently powered by the motor.

[0019] Preferably, the lateral mesh walls are planar, and the bottom surface of the hopper defines a plurality of inverted truncated conical containers adjacent to each other and located below each fan, each inverted truncated conical container including a bottom orifice to be connected to a removable storage tank. The inverted truncated conical containers allow pollen to slide within the tank.

[0020] According to an alternative embodiment of the hopper, it may include adjacent compartments along a longitudinal axis, with an inner partition between two adjacent inverted truncated conical containers.

[0021] Advantageously, to increase pollen collection and pollen selection, the pollen collection device may include at least one additional collection container selected from a protruding collection container defined at the inlet of the collection hopper and / or one of a side trough outside the collection hopper, to collect pollen that cannot pass through the lateral mesh wall.

[0022] The present invention also aims to provide a method for collecting pollen from rows of growing crops, the method comprising the following steps:

[0023] - The pollen-collecting device attached to the motor vehicle is moved along the rows of crop plants, so that the heads of these crop plants, as well as at least the panicles or tassels containing pollen, enter the channels of the housing assembly of the pollen-collecting device.

[0024] -Vibrate the crop plants while they are in the channel.

[0025] - A negative pressure vacuum is generated in the channel, causing radial and upward airflow from the inside of the channel to the side wall of the hopper, so that the vacuum is selected to allow pollen to fall into the hopper through the side mesh wall of the hopper.

[0026] Preferably, according to the method of the present invention, the fan speed can be selected by combining the speed of the motor vehicle and the average unit weight of the pollen grains to be collected. Attached Figure Description

[0027] Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments of the invention, which are given by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0028] Figure 1 A perspective view of an embodiment of the pollen collection device according to the present invention is shown.

[0029] Figure 2 It shows Figure 1 A cross-sectional view of an embodiment, wherein the crop plant is located inside the pollen collection device.

[0030] Figure 3 It shows Figure 1A perspective view of an embodiment, in which the safety cover is not shown, and the mesh wall of the pollen collection hopper is not shown.

[0031] Figure 4 It shows that according to Figure 3 A perspective view of the pollen collection hopper of a pollen collection device.

[0032] Figure 5a , Figure 5b and Figure 5c A cross-sectional view of the hopper according to the present invention is shown.

[0033] Figure 6 express Figure 1 A top view of an embodiment.

[0034] Figure 7a and Figure 7b The following are shown respectively when the device moves, according to Figure 1 The longitudinal cross-sectional views of the airflow vector within the pollen collection device of the embodiment, viewed from the top and from a side vertical perspective. Figure 7a and Figure 7b It is derived from mathematical simulations involving the coupling between flow and particle dynamics, which take into account turbulence, forces experienced by pollen particles, including drag, lift, added mass, and gravity.

[0035] Figure 8a and Figure 8b express Figure 7a and Figure 7b An alternative embodiment of the hopper includes an internal compartment.

[0036] Figure 9 The diagram shows the effect of the device moving along the crop plant row according to... Figure 8a and Figure 8b Pollen throughput in the hopper.

[0037] Figure 10 A table showing the combined effects of tractor speed and fan speed when operating the pollen collection device according to the invention is presented.

[0038] Figure 11 It shows Figure 4 A cross-sectional view of an alternative embodiment of the hopper. Detailed Implementation

[0039] like Figure 1The pollen collection device 10 shown is configured to collect pollen from crop plants. The device is positioned above the crop plants, preferably above rows of crop plants, so that the pollen collection device can move along the rows of crop plants to continuously collect pollen from all plants in a row. The pollen collection device 10 itself may not be motor-driven. However, according to the illustrated embodiment, the pollen collection device includes a device 9 connected to a frame 11 pulled by a traction machine (not shown).

[0040] Pollen collection device 10 includes a housing assembly 12 and a collection hopper 13. Device 10 also includes a safety cover 8 located above the housing assembly 12. A support frame 9, connected to a frame 11, extends upward from the top of the cover 8. Device 10 has a longitudinal axis X, along which both the housing assembly and the collection hopper extend. Housing assembly 12 includes an enlarged opening with an acute-angled wall 16 connected to a longitudinal wall 17. The longitudinal wall 17 extends parallel to the longitudinal axis X and covers the side walls 18 and top wall 19 of the collection hopper. Housing assembly 12 has an inverted U-shaped profile in cross-section. The collection hopper is located below the central portion of this U-shaped profile.

[0041] Typically, the device 10 moves along its longitudinal axis. The device 10 includes an inlet E leading to a channel within the device 10, in which at least the heads of the crop plants are located as the device moves along the row of crop plants. The channel is designed to receive, at its uppermost portion, panicles or spikelets bearing pollen.

[0042] The device includes an angled guide rod 14 to guide the pollen-bearing panicles or spikelets of the crop plant along the direction of the inlet E. For example... Figure 1 As shown, the device includes two lateral channels 20, each located on one of the two longitudinal sides of the hopper 13. The longitudinal channels define the space between the hopper 13 and the housing assembly 12. Therefore, the hopper 13 is centrally located. The hopper 13 has a V-shaped guide rod 15 at its inlet E to guide the panicle or tassel into each channel. The angled opening of the guide rod 14 and the V-shaped guide rod 15 both facilitate the entry of the crop head into the corresponding lateral channels.

[0043] A channel 20 is formed between the longitudinal wall 17 and the side wall 18, extending from the inlet E to the outlet O, with the outlet O longitudinally opposite the inlet E. Both channels 20 are straight and define a passageway. The channels 20 on both sides of the hopper connect at the top of the hopper.

[0044] Figure 2In each channel 20, two different crop plants are shown. The channel 20 is high enough to allow the head H (especially the panicle located in the head H of crop plant P) to be located between the middle height and the top of the inner height of the channel 20. However, depending on the type of crop, the panicle is usually located at the highest point of the plant, so it is preferable to place such a panicle in the upper part of the channel.

[0045] Figure 2 , Figure 3 and Figure 5a In this structure, a vibrator 21 extends inward from the longitudinal wall 17 into the channel 20. The vibrator 21 is a tangling bar operated by a motor 22 supported by a support frame 9. The vibrator 21 is operated to laterally move the head H inside the channel 20, thereby detaching pollen from the head H.

[0046] Or, such as Figure 5b and Figure 5c As shown, the vibrator is equipped with a rotary vibration system. Figure 5b As shown, the rotary vibration system includes at least one rotary vibration system in each channel, or as... Figure 5c As shown, it may also include at least two opposing rotary vibration systems per channel. The rotary vibration systems are preferably electrically driven in a continuous rotational motion. The rotary vibration system includes a central longitudinal axis 40 and three parallel rods 41, which are angled and equidistant from the longitudinal axis. The rods 41 are connected to a shaft at their ends, which... Figure 5b and Figure 5c The cross-sectional view is not shown.

[0047] Preferably, the longitudinal axis is outside the longitudinal wall 17. In this configuration, the longitudinal wall has a longitudinal slit at least at its upper part to allow the rod to rotate through the slit. When the rotary vibration system is positioned on one side of the channel, its rotation causes the rod to move within the channel from a lower position to an upper position.

[0048] like Figure 5c As shown, when the same channel includes two opposing rotary vibration systems, the two opposing rotary vibration systems operate in opposite directions of rotation, such that the rod of each system always moves from a lower position to an upper position within the channel. Preferably, the two opposing rotary vibration systems are synchronized to avoid the rods being directly opposite each other at the same height within the channel. To avoid damage to the stems of the crop plants, the opposing rods are placed at an angle of 60° to each other and synchronized so that they do not remain at the same height within the channel at the same time.

[0049] A fan 23 is positioned through the top wall 24 of the housing assembly 12 to generate an airflow F in a radial and upward direction within the lateral channel 20 to guide pollen from the crop plants into the collection hopper. A through-hole 40 is provided above the fan through the safety cover 8 to prevent turbulence in the airflow above the fan. The fan is electrically driven (not shown). Several fans can be positioned above the top mesh wall 19 and along its entire length. Each fan can be adjusted independently of the others.

[0050] The sidewall 18 of the collection hopper is preferably a mesh wall. The mesh wall 18 forms an acute angle α with the vertical axis Z. The angle α is selected between 0° and 45°. Preferably, the angle α is between 0° and 15°. The angle can provide a wider space in the upper part of the channel, but the sidewall 18 can also limit the lateral width of the upper part of the channel. The narrower the channel, the more pollen will be forced into the collection hopper.

[0051] To adapt the construction of the collection device according to the invention to various types of crops, a longitudinal wall 17 with adjustable position may also be included. The longitudinal wall 17 can then be adjusted away from the longitudinal mesh wall 18 to determine its width according to the crop from which pollen is to be collected. Thus, the width of the lateral channel 20 becomes adjustable, and the longitudinal wall 17 includes means (not shown) that allow lateral adjustment of its position relative to the top wall 24.

[0052] Therefore, the channel 20 defines a greater lateral width near the top of the hopper, near the connection between the longitudinal wall 18 and the top wall 19, than at the connection between the longitudinal mesh wall 18 and the solid bottom surface 26 of the hopper. The bottom surface 26 includes an orifice 27 at which a storage tank 28 is detachably secured to collect all pollen falling along the direction of the orifice under gravity. The orifice 27 and the pollen tank 28 extend downward from the housing assembly 12, and the collection volume of the storage tank can be up to 1 L. The storage tank can be easily replaced from the device at any time needed (e.g., every 10 to 15 minutes or even 20 minutes) to maximize the viability of the pollen collected in the tank.

[0053] The mesh wall 18 is a plate detachably mounted on the fixed structures 29a, 29b, 29c, and 29d of the collection hopper 13. This allows for replacement of the mesh wall 18 and variation of its mesh size. The mesh wall is sized to avoid collecting one type of anther and / or large parts and / or insects, and its width is sufficient to collect pollen while also limiting air turbulence entering the collection hopper. For example, the mesh size is configured with circular openings having an inner diameter of approximately 1 mm to 2 mm, suitable for maize seeds. The mesh wall 18 functions as a waste filter to collect pollen with as few impurities as possible. The mesh wall removes larger particles, such as plant parts and insects.

[0054] The top wall 19 can also be a mesh wall. The top wall 19 acts as a pollen filter to prevent pollen from leaving the top of the collector due to fan suction. The particle size of the mesh wall 19 can differ from the particle size of the mesh sidewalls 18. The top wall 19 forms an acute angle β with the vertical axis Z, such that the top wall 19 defines a concave wall above the orifice 27. The angle β is selected between 45° and 90°. The top wall 19 can be as follows: Figure 5c The 0° plane wall in the middle, or like Figure 5a The concave surface in the top wall 19 is located at the center of the top wall 19, directly below the fan. The concave top wall 19 is required when the α angle is positive and at least 5°, because the top wall surface needs to be balanced by angles to reasonably maintain the same area, unaffected by the position of the side mesh wall 18.

[0055] like Figure 3 As shown, the device 10 includes a plurality of storage tanks 28 along the longitudinal axis Y. Each storage tank 28 is located at the bottom of a corresponding one of a plurality of inverted truncated conical containers adjacent to each other. These inverted truncated conical containers are formed together with a bottom surface 26. The bottom surface 26 may include a square inverted truncated pyramidal portion above and adjacent to the inverted truncated conical container connected to the tank 28.

[0056] exist Figure 6 In the example shown, the device includes four storage tanks 28 and four fans 23. The speeds of the fans can be balanced continuously to create a vacuum, causing the airflow to be oriented radially and obliquely towards the central collection hopper. Alternatively, all fan speeds can be set to the same speed or independently adjusted to increase the collection output setting. As the length of the collection hopper increases, the speed of the traction machine also increases because the residence time of particles through the collector is expected to be approximately the same. An optimal fan suction speed is determined; exceeding this speed will cause particles to be drawn into the fan, which is detrimental to output.

[0057] The device includes a front V-shaped planar diverter 30 at the inlet E. A V-shaped guide rod 15 is disposed around the diverter 30. The diverter 30 protrudes from the front of the hopper. Figure 7a As shown, the splitter 30 helps to smoothly deliver airflow vectors into the channel 20 during traction machine operation.

[0058] The airflow vector is longitudinal relative to channel 20, but it also tends to converge toward the hopper, primarily converging in the central region of the hopper along the longitudinal axis X. For example... Figure 7a and Figure 7bAs shown, the collection hopper is a single collection area with an open design. The collection hopper includes four adjacent inverted truncated conical containers forming a bottom surface 26, each container being connected to a tank 28, and each tank being located directly below one of the four fans 23 of the device.

[0059] When according to Figure 7a and Figure 7b When considering the cross-sectional view, the airflow vector is discharged very uniformly in each of the four fans 23. The fan speed is chosen to be lower than the pollen settling velocity, so that even after the airflow vector leaves the fan, the pollen still falls into the storage tank 28 under gravity. Several dead zones Cl without airflow vectors were identified. It can be observed that the collection hopper oscillates along the longitudinal axis inside. This oscillation and dead zones affect pollen recovery.

[0060] according to Figure 7a and Figure 7b A balance must be struck between the fan speed (Ufan) and the traction speed (Ut) of the pollen collection device. A space-varying fan speed is employed, with a higher suction speed at the front fan near the inlet E and a decreasing suction speed towards the rear. This allows for stronger negative pressure compared to a uniform fan speed and promotes earlier movement of particles toward the collector's axis.

[0061] like Figure 10 As shown, the optimal collection fan speed has been found to be between 2 m / s and 4 m / s. Surprisingly, increasing the traction machine speed hinders pollen collection yield unless an internal compartment is installed within the collection hopper. This phenomenon can be explained by achieving higher airflow velocities and a larger air volume passing through the channels and collection hopper. At high traction machine speeds, the fan struggles to compensate for the inherent velocity of the pollen grains. The traction machine speed reduces the time pollen spends within the channels. When a significant oscillation zone exists below the fan, the air vacuum provided by the fan is uneven.

[0062] Particle dynamics are driven by Newton's second law of motion, where particle acceleration is influenced by increased mass, drag (Wen-Yu model), lift (Saffman-Mei model), gravitational acceleration, and pressure gradient. Acceleration is also affected by a stochastic dispersion force, which is linearly related to the square root of the turbulent kinetic energy and oriented along a stochastic direction to characterize small-scale turbulent fluctuations.

[0063] Figure 8a , Figure 8b and Figure 9This is an optional embodiment of the collection hopper within the scope of the invention, comprising adjacent compartments along channel 20. The compartments are formed with transverse walls 31 to divide the volume defined within the collection hopper by mesh walls 18, a top wall 19, and a bottom surface 26. In the case where the collection hopper 13 comprises four containers, there are three transverse walls 31 forming internal partitions of the collection hopper. Here, the number of compartments is equal to the number of adjacent inverted truncated conical containers on the bottom surface. A solid transverse wall 31 is provided between two adjacent conical containers such that pollen can only be collected in the container if it passes through a portion of the mesh wall 18 and enters the corresponding compartment from the edge of the conical container. This embodiment allows for different mesh structures for each compartment.

[0064] and Figure 7b Conversely, airflow vectoring promotes convection into each compartment, and Figure 8b No dead zones of size Cl were identified. The eddy current mode improved flow and pollen grain distribution within each storage tank.

[0065] The compartments improve airflow stability within each compartment and mitigate the effects of tractor and fan speeds. It has been found that smaller vortices within each compartment improve pollen collection efficiency. The vortices enhance air stability within the compartments. The compartments function as clusters, allowing for better fan suction quality in guiding pollen grains. Compared to an open design, compartment-based designs achieve higher yields at the same tractor speed. Even at twice the tractor speed of an open design, yields remain essentially the same.

[0066] Additionally, the airflow exits vertically from the fan. Figure 7a In comparison, Figure 8a In this configuration, the airflow vector departs from the fan and slopes backward, causing pollen to tend to remain near the collection hopper even as the device moves along the crop plant row. This improves pollen collection. As the device moves along the crop plant row, the pollen is pushed and drawn in, forcing it through the mesh wall 18.

[0067] Since pollen grains may not "respond" to the suction from the fan as they pass through the collector and are lost at the rear, fins are provided on the longitudinal wall 17 to promote lateral flow to push pollen inward and minimize the number of grains reaching the rear of the collector. The fins are vertical and oriented at an angle toward the rear end of the hopper and the outlet O.

[0068] according to Figure 9Alternative embodiments with internal compartments in the hopper also help limit the amount of pollen not captured by the hopper. Pollen leaving outlet O without being captured in the hopper is limited, and a specific higher fan speed can be provided to the last compartment of the hopper, the compartment near the outlet does not affect the airflow vector near other compartments closer to inlet E.

[0069] At a low tractor speed of 4 km / h, the peak efficiency achieved using internal compartments at a fan suction speed of 3 m / s is nearly 20% higher. The internal compartment design is less sensitive to fan suction speed. The internal compartment design, while maintaining high harvesting yield, is less sensitive to both fan suction speed and tractor speed, which appears to be a good trade-off for increasing efficiency. The internal compartment design still achieves the same efficiency as the design without internal compartments even at twice the tractor speed. Figure 11 This is an improved embodiment of the collection hopper 13, wherein a pre-collector 32 is disposed below the V-shaped guide rods 15, since pollen may have been vibrated by those V-shaped rods, and the pre-collector 32 provides a V-shaped inlet, with a pre-collection tank 33 connected below this V-shaped inlet. The pre-collector 32 has a V-shaped orifice, and a diverter 30 is partially located above this orifice. According to this embodiment, the pollen collected in the pre-collection tank is not filtered. The pre-collector forms a protruding collection container, wherein the orifice connecting the pre-collection tank is not centered in the middle of the shape of the pre-collector, but is located near the inlet E to facilitate the removal and replacement of the pre-collection tank 33.

[0070] Additionally, the collection hopper may advantageously be provided with side grooves 34 along the channel 20, which collect pollen into side canisters connected thereto. Pollen collected in these side canisters is not pushed through the mesh wall 18. This embodiment allows for improved pollen collection and also allows for better selection of the collected pollen, as the pollen collected in the front collection canister and side canisters exhibits a lower purity level compared to the pollen collected in the canister 28 connected to the inverted truncated cone (such pollen has already been filtered by the mesh sidewalls 18 and top wall 19). The collected pollen can be processed and used for different purposes while avoiding pollen loss during collection.

Claims

1. A pollen collection device for collecting pollen from a crop plant, the pollen collection device comprising a housing assembly (12) and a collection hopper (13) located below the housing assembly to define at least one lateral channel (20) between the housing assembly and the collection hopper to receive the head of the crop plant, the pollen collection device comprising a fan (23) disposed at the top of the housing assembly to generate airflow in the lateral channel in a radial and upward direction to force pollen from the crop plant through the lateral mesh wall (18) of the collection hopper into the collection hopper.

2. The pollen collection device according to claim 1, wherein, The pollen collection device includes a vibration component (21) attached to either the hopper or the housing assembly for vibrating the crop plant in the channel and mechanically transferring pollen from the crop plant.

3. The pollen collection device according to claim 2, wherein, The vibration assembly includes a rotary vibration system, which includes a central longitudinal axis and three rods spaced at equal angles. The central axis is rotatable, allowing the rods to move from a bottom position to an upper position within the channel.

4. The pollen collection device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein, The pollen collection device includes a safety cover (8) and a support frame (9) held by a frame (10) connected to a motor vehicle. The support frame is raised above the safety cover so that the safety cover surrounds the housing assembly, thereby allowing airflow generated by the fan to escape upward through a through-hole (40) at the top of the safety cover.

5. The pollen collection device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The pollen collection device includes a removable storage tank (28) removably connected to the bottom of the collection hopper for collecting pollen entering the collection hopper.

6. The pollen collection device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The lateral mesh wall of the hopper forms an acute angle (α) with the vertical axis, such that the width defined in the upper part of the lateral channel is wider than the width defined in the lower part of the lateral channel.

7. The pollen collection device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The width of the lateral channel (20) is adjustable, and the longitudinal wall (17) of the housing assembly (12) includes means for allowing lateral adjustment of the position of the longitudinal wall relative to the top wall (24).

8. The pollen collection device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The pollen collection device includes two lateral channels on both sides of the collection hopper, allowing pollen from two different rows of crop plants to be collected simultaneously. The collection hopper includes two opposing lateral mesh walls, allowing the pollen from the two different rows to mix together in the collection hopper.

9. The pollen collection device according to the preceding claim, wherein, The two opposing lateral mesh walls are connected at the top by a top mesh wall (19) located below the fan, which serves as a pollen filter to prevent pollen from leaving the hopper.

10. The pollen collection device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The pollen collection device includes an electric drive motor located above the housing assembly and several fans along the longitudinal axis of the pollen collection device, with lateral channels parallel to the longitudinal axis, and all fans being independently powered by the motor.

11. The pollen collection device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The lateral mesh wall is planar, and the bottom surface of the hopper defines a plurality of inverted truncated conical containers adjacent to each other and located below each fan, each inverted truncated conical container including a bottom orifice to be connected to a removable storage tank.

12. The pollen collection device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The hopper defines adjacent compartments along the longitudinal axis, and the hopper includes an inner partition (31) between two adjacent inverted truncated conical containers.

13. The pollen collection device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein, The pollen collection device includes an additional collection container selected from one of a protruding collection container (32) defined at the entrance of the collection hopper and / or a side groove (34) outside the collection hopper, for collecting pollen that cannot pass through the lateral mesh wall.

14. A method for collecting pollen from a row of growing crop plants, the method comprising the following steps: - Move the pollen collection device attached to the motor vehicle along the row of crop plants so that the head of the crop plants enters the channel of the housing assembly of the pollen collection device. - The crop plant vibrates when it is in the channel. - A negative pressure vacuum is generated in the channel, causing radial and upward airflow from the inside of the channel to the side wall of the hopper, so that the vacuum is selected to allow the pollen to fall into the hopper through the lateral mesh wall of the hopper.

15. The method according to the preceding claim, wherein, The method includes: The fan speed is selected by combining the speed of the motor vehicle and the average weight per unit of the pollen grains to be collected.

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