Pollination cage and pollination method
AssigneeAardevo B.V.
InventorsCurtis Frederick, Ruben Hendrik Muilwijk
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Disclosed herein is a pollination cage for the field pollination of a ridge planted crop, the pollination cage comprising: a plurality of frames; and one more nets supported by the plurality of frames; wherein: the frames and one or more nets define at least one enclosed region for containing pollinating insects; and each frame comprises a notched structure for placing on ridged ground.
Claims21
A pollination cage for the field pollination of a ridge planted crop, the pollination cage comprising:
- a plurality of frames;
- and
- one or more nets supported by the plurality of frames;
- wherein the frames and one or more nets define at least one enclosed region for containing pollinating insects;
- wherein each frame comprises a notched structure for placing on ridged ground, wherein the notched structure includes a board with a notch;
- wherein the notched structure substantially provides the lower part of the frame and is configured such that, when the frame is placed on ridged ground, the ridge is received by the notch;
- wherein the board has a lower surface for contacting flush against the ridged ground when the frame is placed on the ridged ground, the lower surface comprising flat regions for providing flush contact with flat parts of ridged ground, and the lower surface also comprising the notch for providing flush contact with the ridge in the ridged ground;
- and
- wherein over a third of the lower surface is provided by the flat regions.
A method of reconfiguring the number of enclosed regions by a pollination cage for the field pollination of a ridge planted crop, the method comprising:
- securing one or more frame opening nets to intermediate frames of the pollination cage;
- and/or removing one or more frame opening nets from intermediate frames of the pollination cage;
- wherein the pollination cage comprises:
- a plurality of frames;
- and
- one more nets supported by the plurality of frames;
- and
- wherein the frames and one or more nets define at least one enclosed region for containing pollinating insects;
- and
- wherein each frame comprises a notched structure for placing on ridged ground, wherein the notched structure includes a board with a notch, wherein the board has a lower surface for contacting flush against the ridged ground when the frame is placed on the ridged ground;
- and
- wherein, for each frame:
- the notched structure substantially provides the lower part of the frame;
- the upper part of the frame is defined by one or more net supports that extend upwards from the lower part of the frame;
- the one or more net supports and notched structure define an opening through the frame;
- and
- the one or more net supports are arranged to support a frame opening net that covers the opening through the frame;
- and
- wherein the pollination cage further comprises:
- two end frames at opposite ends of the pollination cage;
- and
- one or more intermediate frames that are located between the two end frames;
- wherein each end frame comprises a frame opening net;
- and
- wherein the number of separate enclosed plots with the pollination cage is reconfigurable in dependence on use of frame opening nets on the intermediate frames.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.