Mason bees (Megachilidae: Osmia) are alternative managed pollinators with the potential to supplement pollination by honey in many crops. However, challenges for their management orchards still remain. If nesting conditions not optimal, females can show high dispersion rates, which decrease economic viability at commercial scales. One way improve female retention is offering attractive substrat...

Pollination services are critical in entomophilous crops. Relationships between pollinator visits and fruit set mass complex optimal strategies to improve pollination poorly defined. We often do not understand what proportions of the crop result from self- or cross-pollination, how cross-pollination affects quality far cross-pollen is transported. quantified cross-paternity nuts partially self-...

An algorithm of generating navigation path in orchard for harvesting robot based on machine vision was presented. According to the features of orchard images, a horizontal projection method was adopted to dynamically recognize the main trunks area. Border crossing points between the tree and the earth were detected by scanning the trunks areas, and these points were divided into two clusters on...

Input requirements in an orchard vary in space and time due to the variability of climate, soil and plant growth. Measurements were carried out in Prunus domestica (plum) orchard in the Werder fruit production area in Brandenburg, Germany. Soil zones in the orchard were identified by means of electrical conductivity. Plant data were captured on the tree and organ level: laser-scanner hits show ...

D-xylose is one of the most abundant pentose sugars in nature. To isolate oleaginous yeasts that can utilize xylose from diverse soil samples, soils from a litchi orchard, longan orchard, carambola orchard, and woods were collected, yeasts were isolated by the glycerol enrichment and their xylose-assimilating capacities were measured. A subset of these isolates was grown in nitrogen-limited med...

A novel approach for orchard scanning is proposed that is validated through automatic separation of trees and height measurements. The experiments were done in a real orchard recording data from a moving vehicle, using Lidar and stereo vision. The orchard reconstruction was done using tilt sensor corrected GPS positions interpolated through encoder counts. The accuracy of the reconstruction and...

Moth species trapped using the sex pheromone of Stenoma catenifer (LaSalle) as a lure, were registered at 2 commercial avocado orchards (one consisting of “Hass” and other of “Criollo”) and in wild “Criollo” avocado trees in southern Mexico. Traps were maintained for 1 mo in two seasons (dry and wet) on avocado trees under these 3 production conditions, changing the baits each season. Weekly ob...

Several tests were performed on commercially used orchard sprayers with different types of air discharge systems (conventional, cross flow, directional spouts). The measurements were conducted in a hangar on an apple orchard planted in containers. Pure tab water and water with minerals (Mg, Mn, Zn) were sprayed. Water sensitive paper and blotting paper were put in and around the trees to evalua...