CONTRIBUTION OF SEVERAL DUSTER PARAMETERS TO PERFORMANCE IN MECHANICAL DATE PALM POLLEN DELIVERY

Abstract

An experiment was conducted to test the effect of various dusters parameters on their respective efficiencies inmechanical date palm pollination. The parameters were varying delivery tube lengths and diameters in two duster types:manual and power driven. Data collected at four increments of the delivery tube length: 2.5 m (8.3 ft), 5 m (16.5 ft), 7.5 m(24.7 ft), and 10 m (33 ft) with three different measures of their respective diameter: 10 mm (0.4 in.), 15 mm (0.6 in.), and20 mm (0.8 in.) were percent live pollen, pollen to carrier ratio, and throughput efficiency. Those measurements were usedto deduce the rate of net delivered live pollen in grams per second (g/s; oz/min) in every treatment. Analysis of variancerevealed a significant contribution of the three factors (duster type, tube diameter, and tube length) to variations in dusteroutput. The highest percent live pollen was 89.1 and was that attained using the manual duster with a 20-mm (0.8-in.)diameter, 2.5-m (8.3-ft) long, delivery tube; the lowest was 49.8% attained using the power duster with a 10-mm (0.4-in.)diameter, 10-m (33-ft) long delivery tube. There was a decrease in all measurements (percent live pollen, pollen to carrierratio, and throughput efficiency) with the increase in tube length. Consistent application of 3 to 5 g (0.11-0.18 oz) of livepollen per inflorescence appears to require improvements in pollination equipment. Recommendations for improvementare provided.