Artificial supplementary pollination method for increasing fruit setting rate of durian

Abstract

The invention discloses an artificial supplementary pollination method for improving the fruit setting rate of durian, which comprises the following steps: collecting pollen: selecting blooming durian flowers and collecting pollen from April to the first ten days of May in a sunny weather of 18: 00-20: 00; a writing brush with the diameter of 1-1.5 cm is used for brushing, the pollen is lightly and evenly dipped by a powder applying brush, and the pollen is evenly dipped on the surface of the brush; pollinating: lightly and uniformly applying pollen on the stigma of each floret from the periphery or inner bore of the crown by using a pollinating brush dipped with pollen. Through precise flower selection, strict disinfection treatment and a scientific pollen preservation mode, it is ensured that the collected pollen is high in activity and purity, a solid foundation is laid for successful pollination, the pollen is evenly distributed on a brush through pretreatment of pollen dipping and multiple times of small-amount dipping in cooperation with sterile filter paper rolling operation, and the pollination efficiency is improved. During pollination, the solution can be uniformly smeared on stigmas, so that non-uniform local pollination is avoided, and the risk of fruit development malformation is reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of agricultural planting, and particularly relates to an artificial assisted pollination method for improving the fruit setting rate of durians. Background Art

[0002] As a famous tropical fruit, durians occupy a unique position in the global fruit market. Their unique and rich flavor and high nutritional value make them highly favored by consumers, thus having extremely high economic value. However, under natural growth conditions, the fruit setting rate of durians is often unsatisfactory and is often restricted by various factors.

[0003] Traditional pollination methods are mainly divided into two categories: natural insect pollination and simple and extensive manual operations, each of which has many drawbacks.

[0004] Natural insect pollination highly depends on external climate conditions and the activity patterns of insects themselves. Durian is a night-blooming plant. At 13:00 - 15:00, the stigma extends from the petals 2 hours before the petals open. At this time, the stigma secretes mucus and is receptive. According to different varieties and climates, the anthers dehisce from 18:00 to 24:00. The time difference between the receptivity of the stigma and the release of pollen affects the pollination effect. The pollinators mainly rely on bats, fruit bats, moths, ants, and large beetles. Bees forage during the day and have little effect on durian pollination. Cross-pollination significantly increases the fruit setting rate, and there is a significant correlation between the fruit setting rate and the number of pollen grains attached to the stigma. After fertilization, except for the ovary, other floral organs wither in the morning of the next day.

[0005] Current artificial pollination methods usually only roughly collect pollen and simply smear it. The operators are very casual in grasping the timing of pollen collection and do not accurately collect according to the best period when the durian flower pollen is mature, which makes the quality of the collected pollen uneven. Moreover, the collection tools used are relatively simple and lack professionalism, unable to ensure the purity and activity of pollen during the collection process. In terms of storage conditions, there is no scientific and reasonable standard, and the pollen may be placed randomly, exposed to inappropriate temperature and humidity environments, resulting in a rapid decline in the activity of pollen. During the pollination process, there is a serious lack of control over details such as the strength and evenness of smearing. Often, some flowers are over-pollinated and some flowers are under-pollinated, resulting in uneven pollination. These problems combined ultimately seriously affect the formation and development of fruits, unable to meet the current growing market demand and difficult to achieve the growers' high expectations for yield and quality. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The technical problem to be solved by the present invention is to overcome the defects of the prior art and provide an artificial assisted pollination method for improving the fruit setting rate of durians. By precisely controlling each link of pollen collection, pollen dipping, and pollination, the fruit setting rate of durians is maximally increased, the fruit quality is guaranteed, and the planting benefit is improved.

[0007] To solve the above technical problems, the present invention provides the following technical solutions:

[0008] The present invention provides an artificial assisted pollination method for improving the fruit setting rate of durians, including the following steps:

[0009] Collecting pollen: On sunny days from April to early May every year, during the period from 18:00 to 20:00, enter the durian orchard to select blooming durian flowers. Cover the flowers with pre-sterilized dry sulfuric acid paper, and gently shake to make the pollen fall into a sterile pollen collection container. The collected pollen is stored according to the subsequent pollination plan. The number of inflorescences from which pollen is dipped on each pollen donor tree accounts for more than 20% of the total number of inflorescences on the whole tree;

[0010] Dipping pollen: Use a writing brush or a pollination brush with a diameter of 1 - 1.5 cm. Before dipping pollen, clean and dry it, and then gently and evenly dip the pollen to ensure that the surface of the brush is evenly covered with pollen;

[0011] Pollination: Use the writing brush or pollination brush dipped with pollen to gently and evenly apply it to the stigma of each small flower from the periphery or the inner cavity of the tree crown. The number of inflorescences pollinated on each pollen receptor tree is more than 40% of the total number of inflorescences on the whole tree.

[0012] As a preferred technical solution of the present invention, in the step of collecting pollen, when selecting flowers, preferably select the blooming durian flowers located in the upper and middle parts of the tree crown with sufficient light. The appearance of the flowers is: the petals are unfolded, the color is bright, the anthers are golden yellow and slightly cracked.

[0013] As a preferred technical solution of the present invention, in the step of collecting pollen, the dry sulfuric acid paper is placed in an ultraviolet disinfection lamp box for irradiation disinfection 2 hours before use, and the ultraviolet intensity is set at 100 - 150 microwatts per square centimeter.

[0014] As a preferred technical solution of the present invention, in the step of collecting pollen, the pollen preservation method is as follows: If it is expected to perform pollination within 2 hours, the pollen container can be placed in a refrigerator at 4°C for preservation. The refrigerator needs to be cleaned and disinfected in advance to keep the temperature inside the box stable and avoid temperature fluctuations affecting the pollen activity. If the pollination time is after 4 hours, the pollen is put into a low-temperature freezer at -18°C. The pollen needs to be placed in layers, with each layer no more than 1 cm thick, and separated by a sterile partition in the middle to prevent the pollen from caking. If long-term preservation is required, such as more than 24 hours, the pollen is transferred to an ultra-low temperature refrigerator at -80°C, and a special freezing preservation tube is used to hold the pollen. A small amount of desiccant is pre-added into the tube to ensure that the pollen still maintains good physiological activity at extremely low temperatures.

[0015] As a preferred technical solution of the present invention, in the step of dipping pollen, a strategy of dipping multiple times in small amounts is adopted. After each dipping, the brush is gently rolled on a sterile filter paper to evenly distribute the pollen on the surface of the bristles, avoiding the phenomenon of pollen aggregation. The dipping action is repeated 3 - 5 times until a fine layer of pollen is evenly adhered to the surface of the brush, and it is observed with the naked eye that the pollen distribution on the bristles is uniform, without obvious caking or blank areas.

[0016] As a preferred technical solution of the present invention, in the pollination step, the pollination operation is carried out on the pollination day at a time period when it is sunny, windless, and the air humidity is 60% - 80%. Hygrometers are placed in different areas of the orchard to monitor the humidity data in real time.

[0017] As a preferred technical solution of the present invention, it further includes: After the pollination is completed, immediately use plastic tags of different colors or waterproof marker pens to mark at the flower stalk of the pollinated flower. The marking content includes the pollination date, pollen source, and operator number information. At the same time, strengthen the daily inspection of the orchard, and promptly discover and handle problems such as pests, diseases, and bad weather that affect the pollination effect.

[0018] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows:

[0019] 1: Through precise flower selection, strict disinfection treatment, and scientific pollen preservation method, the present invention ensures that the collected pollen has high activity and high purity, laying a solid foundation for successful pollination.

[0020] 2: The pretreatment of dipping pollen, the operation of dipping multiple times in small amounts and rolling with a sterile filter paper in cooperation, make the pollen evenly distributed on the brush, and can be evenly applied to the stigma during pollination, avoiding uneven local pollination and reducing the risk of fruit development deformity.

[0021] 3: The present invention pollinates according to the air humidity of 60%-80%, combined with the physiological characteristics of strong stigma mucus secretion, greatly improving the initial attachment rate and germination rate of pollen, and increasing the fertilization success rate.

[0022] 4: The marking treatment after pollination of the present invention and strengthening the orchard inspection can trace the pollination information in time, create a stable flower development environment, reduce the risk of early fruit drop, and ensure the smooth development and maturity of the fruit.

[0023] 5: The significantly increased fruit set rate and optimized fruit quality of the present invention have greatly increased the income of durian growers and promoted the prosperous development of the durian industry. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0024] The drawings are used to provide a further understanding of the present invention, and constitute a part of the specification. Together with the embodiments of the present invention, they are used to explain the present invention and do not constitute a limitation to the present invention. In the drawings:

[0025] Figure 1 is a picture of durian obtained by artificial assisted pollination using the present invention in the embodiment;

[0026] Figure 2 is a picture of durian obtained by traditional natural pollination in the embodiment; DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0027] The following is a description of the preferred embodiments of the present invention with reference to the drawings. It should be understood that the preferred embodiments described herein are only used to illustrate and explain the present invention and are not used to limit the present invention.

[0028] Example 1

[0029] As Figure 1-2 shown, the present invention provides an artificial assisted pollination method for increasing the fruit set rate of durian, including the following steps:

[0030] Collect pollen, dip pollen, pollinate, and subsequent treatment after pollination.

[0031] 1) Step of collecting pollen:

[0032] Collection time: On sunny days from April to early May of each year, at the time period of 18:00-20:00, enter the durian orchard. This time period is when the durian flowers are in bloom and the pollen activity is relatively high. The pollen collected at this time has better quality and is beneficial to the subsequent pollination and fertilization process.

[0033] Flower selection: Choose durian flowers in full bloom, and give priority to flowers in the middle and upper parts of the crown with sufficient sunlight. Flowers in these locations are more robust and produce high-quality pollen. The specific appearance is that the petals are stretched, bright in color, and the anthers are golden and slightly cracked. The pollen of such flowers is highly mature and active, which can provide a strong guarantee for successful pollination.

[0034] Disinfection: Dry sulfuric acid paper is placed in an ultraviolet disinfection light box for irradiation disinfection 2 hours before use, and the ultraviolet intensity is set to 100-150 microwatts / square centimeter. This intensity can effectively kill the bacteria that may be carried on the sulfuric acid paper and prevent pollen from being contaminated during the pollen collection process. At the same time, the pollen collection container, tweezers and other tools are wiped and disinfected with alcohol. The alcohol concentration is selected to be 75%. After wiping twice, dry it for use to ensure that the entire collection tool environment is sterile.

[0035] Collection method: Cover the selected flowers with pre-sterilized dry sulfuric acid paper and shake gently to scatter the pollen into a sterile pollen collection container. In addition, auxiliary collection methods can be used, such as using a small electric vibrator, placing the vibration head close to the flower, adjusting to a suitable frequency, so that the pollen naturally falls into the container, and using a small sucker to gently suck up the pollen scattered around the flower and collect it in the container to improve the efficiency of pollen collection. After the collection is completed, the pollen collection container should be sealed in time, and the collection time, location, and pollen source information should be marked.

[0036] Pollen preservation: Reasonable preservation is carried out according to the subsequent pollination plan. If pollination is expected within 2 hours, the pollen container can be placed in a 4°C refrigerator. The refrigerator needs to be cleaned and disinfected in advance to keep the temperature inside the box stable to avoid temperature fluctuations affecting pollen activity; if pollination time is 4 hours later, the pollen should be placed in a -18°C low-temperature freezer. The pollen should be placed in layers, with each layer not exceeding 1 cm thick, separated by sterile partitions to prevent pollen from agglomerating; if long-term preservation is required, such as more than 24 hours, the pollen should be transferred to an ultra-low temperature refrigerator at -80°C, and a special cryopreservation tube should be used to hold the pollen. A small amount of desiccant should be added to the tube in advance to ensure that the pollen still maintains good physiological activity at extremely low temperatures. The number of inflorescences from each pollen donor tree that is dipped in pollen accounts for more than 20% of the total number of inflorescences of the entire tree, ensuring sufficient pollen supply without excessive collection that affects the growth of the donor tree.

[0037] 2) Steps for collecting pollen:

[0038] Use a writing brush or pollination brush with a diameter of 1 - 1.5 cm. Before dipping it in pollen, clean and dry it. First, rinse the brush with clean water to remove residual impurities, and then put it in an oven at 50 - 60 °C and dry it for 30 minutes to ensure the brush is completely dry. Then, soak the dried brush in the pre-prepared pollen activation solution for 5 - 10 minutes. The formula of the pollen activation solution is 0.5 grams of sucrose, 0.1 grams of boric acid, 0.1 grams of vitamin C, and 0.01 grams of plant growth regulator, such as gibberellin, in every 100 milliliters of distilled water. After sufficient soaking, take out the brush and let it air dry naturally in a sterile environment. This pretreatment can stimulate pollen vitality and improve the pollination success rate.

[0039] When dipping pollen, adopt the strategy of dipping multiple times in small amounts. After each dipping, gently roll the brush on a sterile filter paper to evenly distribute the pollen on the surface of the bristles, avoiding the phenomenon of pollen agglomeration. Repeat the dipping action 3 - 5 times until a fine layer of pollen is evenly adhered to the surface of the brush. Observe with the naked eye that the pollen distribution on the bristles is uniform, without obvious lumps or blank areas, to ensure that the pollen can be evenly transferred to the stigma during each pollination.

[0040] 3) Pollination steps:

[0041] Use the writing brush or pollination brush dipped with pollen to gently and evenly apply it to the stigma of each small flower from the periphery or the inner cavity of the tree crown. During the operation, keep the contact angle between the brush and the stigma at 45 - 60 degrees. This angle can not only ensure sufficient contact between the pollen and the stigma but also avoid damaging the stigma. The force should be gentle. For larger inflorescences, start pollinating from the central flower first and then gradually expand to the peripheral flowers to ensure that each flower can be fully pollinated. The number of pollinated inflorescences on each pollen receptor tree is more than 40% of the total number of inflorescences on the whole tree to ensure that there are enough fruits to develop.

[0042] Choose a sunny, windless period with an air humidity of 60% - 80% on the day of pollination for the pollination operation. Place hygrometers in different areas of the orchard to monitor the humidity data in real time. Under suitable humidity conditions, the stigma secretes mucus vigorously, the pollen is more likely to adhere, which is conducive to the germination and fertilization of the pollen, and greatly improves the pollination success rate.

[0043] 4) Post-pollination treatment steps

[0044] After pollination is completed, immediately use plastic tags of different colors or waterproof marker pens to mark the flower stalks of the pollinated flowers. The marked content includes information such as the pollination date and pollen source. At the same time, strengthen the daily inspection of the orchard, promptly discover and handle problems such as pests, diseases, and bad weather that affect the pollination effect, and ensure that the pollinated flowers can successfully complete the fertilization and fruit setting process.

[0045] Specifically: The present invention provides the following cases:

[0046] Base Information: A durian experimental base located in Hainan, China, covering an area of 20 hectares, with multiple durian varieties planted, used for researching the adaptive cultivation of durians in the tropical regions of China.

[0047] Traditional Natural Pollination Situation (Control Group):

[0048] Before the artificial assisted pollination method of the present invention was adopted, the base mainly relied on natural pollination. The climate in the Hainan region is changeable. Although it is the durian flowering period from April to May, it often encounters strong winds, rainfall, and high-temperature weather. For example, during the durian flowering period in 2023, continuous rainfall for several days caused the durian flower pistils to be soaked in rainwater for a long time, a large amount of pollen was washed away, and its activity decreased sharply. Moreover, under natural conditions, the activities of pollinating insects are restricted, and the number of main pollinating insects such as bees is scarce, unable to ensure that each flower can be fully pollinated.

[0049] Taking the Monthong variety as an example, under natural pollination conditions, 100 durian trees were observed and statistically analyzed. The total number of inflorescences per whole tree averaged about 200, while the number of inflorescences that were finally successfully pollinated and developed into fruits only accounted for about 10% of the total, that is, each tree harvested only about 20 fruits on average. During the fruit development process, problems such as poor development and deformed fruits often occurred, the fruit quality was uneven, the average single fruit weight was about 2.5 kilograms, and the edible rate was about 60%, seriously affecting the economic benefits.

[0050] Application of the Artificial Assisted Pollination Technology of the Present Invention (Experimental Group):

[0051] During the flowering period in 2024, the scientific research personnel of the base adopted the artificial assisted pollination technology. Combining the local climate characteristics, the pollination time was fine-tuned, and the pollen was collected at 19:00 - 20:30 when the flower state was the best. In terms of tool use, the scientific research advantages were fully utilized to optimize the formula of the pollen activation solution to enhance the pollen vitality. During the pollination process, a high-precision humidity monitoring device was used to accurately grasp the humidity window of 60% - 80%, and at the same time, the temperature and humidity of the pollinated flowers were monitored continuously for 24 hours to ensure a stable environment. After efforts during one flowering period, the fruit set rate of durians in the base increased significantly to 60%. Different varieties of durians all showed good growth trends, and the fruit quality was excellent, providing strong data support and practical experience for the industrialized cultivation of durians in China and promoting the development of local characteristic agriculture.

[0052] Comparison of Application Effects:

[0053] After a complete growth cycle, a distinct contrast is presented between the experimental group and the control group. Still taking the Musang King variety as an example, among the 100 durian trees using the technology of the present invention, the total number of inflorescences per whole tree is also about 200. However, the number of inflorescences that are successfully pollinated and develop into fruits has increased significantly to about 60% of the total. The average number of fruits harvested per tree is about 120, nearly 6 times that of natural pollination. The fruits develop more evenly and plumply, the rate of deformed fruits is significantly reduced, the average single fruit weight reaches 3.5 kg, and the edible rate is increased to 75%, resulting in a significant improvement in economic benefits. As Figure 1 shown, the durians obtained by using the method of the present invention, Figure 2 and the durians obtained by the control group.

[0054] From the perspective of other varieties, the fruit setting rate of the D197 variety by natural pollination is about 8%, which is increased to 55% after applying the present invention; the fruit setting rate of the Kan Yao variety by natural pollination is 12%, and it reaches 62% after improvement. All have achieved leapfrog growth, fully demonstrating the outstanding effectiveness of the artificial assisted pollination method of the present invention in improving the fruit setting rate of durians and the fruit quality.

[0055] Finally, it should be noted that the above are only the preferred embodiments of the present invention and are not used to limit the present invention. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to the foregoing embodiments, those skilled in the art can still modify the technical solutions recorded in the foregoing embodiments, or perform equivalent replacements on some of the technical features. Any modifications, equivalent replacements, improvements, etc. made within the spirit and principle of the present invention shall be included within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. An artificial assisted pollination method for improving durian fruit setting rate, characterized in that, The following steps are involved: Collecting pollen: In clear weather from April to early May every year, between 18:00 and 20:00, go deep into the durian orchard to select blooming durian flowers, cover the flowers with pre-sterilized dry sulfuric acid paper, and gently shake them to allow the pollen to fall into a sterile pollen collection container. The collected pollen will be stored according to the subsequent pollination plan. The number of inflorescences of each pollen donor tree that is stained with pollen accounts for more than 20% of the total number of inflorescences of the entire tree; Pick up pollen: Use a brush or pollination brush with a diameter of 1 to 1.5 cm. Clean and dry it before picking up pollen. Then pick up pollen gently and evenly, making sure the surface of the brush is evenly covered with pollen. Pollination: Use a brush or pollination brush dipped in pollen to gently and evenly apply it to the stigma of each floret from the outside or inside of the crown. The number of pollinated inflorescences on each pollen receptor tree should be more than 40% of the total number of inflorescences of the entire tree.

2. a kind of artificial assisted pollination method improving durian fruit setting rate according to claim 1, is characterized in that, In the pollen collection step, when selecting flowers, priority is given to selecting blooming durian flowers located in the middle and upper part of the crown and in an area with sufficient light. The flowers have the following appearances: petals are stretched, bright in color, and anthers are golden yellow and slightly cracked.

3. a kind of artificial assisted pollination method improving durian fruit setting rate according to claim 2, is characterized in that, In the pollen collection step, the dry sulfate paper is placed in an ultraviolet disinfection light box for irradiation and disinfection 2 hours before use, and the ultraviolet intensity is set to 100-150 microwatts / square centimeter.

4. a kind of artificial assisted pollination method improving durian fruit setting rate according to claim 3, is characterized in that, In the pollen collection step, the pollen is stored as follows: if pollination is expected to be carried out within 2 hours, the pollen container can be placed in a 4°C refrigerator. The refrigerator needs to be cleaned and disinfected in advance to keep the temperature inside the refrigerator stable to avoid temperature fluctuations affecting the activity of the pollen; if the pollination time is after 4 hours, the pollen is placed in a -18°C low-temperature freezer. The pollen needs to be placed in layers, with each layer not exceeding 1 cm thick, and separated by sterile partitions in the middle to prevent the pollen from clumping; if long-term storage is required, such as more than 24 hours, the pollen is transferred to an ultra-low temperature refrigerator at -80°C, and a special cryopreservation tube is used to hold the pollen. A small amount of desiccant is pre-added in the tube to ensure that the pollen still maintains good physiological activity at extremely low temperatures.

5. a kind of artificial assisted pollination method improving durian fruit setting rate according to claim 1, is characterized in that, In the pollen dipping step, the pollen is dipped in small amounts multiple times. After each dipping, the brush is gently rolled on the sterile filter paper to evenly distribute the pollen on the surface of the bristles to avoid pollen agglomeration. The dipping action is repeated 3-5 times until the surface of the brush is evenly coated with a dense layer of pollen. The pollen on the bristles is evenly distributed by naked eye observation without obvious lumps or blank areas.

6. A method for artificially assisting pollination that improves durian fruit setting rate according to claim 1, characterized in that, In the pollination step, the pollination operation is performed on a sunny, windless day with an air humidity of 60%-80%, and hygrometers are placed in different areas of the orchard to monitor humidity data in real time.

7. according to a kind of artificial assisted pollination method improving durian fruit setting rate described in any one of claim 1-6, it is characterized in that, Also includes: After pollination is completed, immediately use plastic labels of different colors or waterproof markers to mark the pedicels of the pollinated flowers. The marking content should include the pollination date, pollen source, and operator number information. At the same time, strengthen daily inspections of orchards, strengthen daily inspections of orchards, and promptly discover and deal with problems such as pests and diseases, bad weather, etc. that affect pollination.

Images