Bees vs. drones: How tech is tackling crop pollination
In this picture taken on April 24, 2023, a drone with a pollination device is used in a demonstration of avocado tree pollination at an orchard near Kibbutz Eyal in the centre of Israel. As climate change and global population growth pose ever greater challenges for agriculture. (Photo by MENAHEM KAHANA / AFP) (Photo by MENAHEM KAHANA/AFP via Getty Images)
In towering glasshouses at a tomato farm in South Australia, everything from the temperature to the ultraviolet radiation levels is tightly controlled. But despite the farm's scientific approach, pollinating the crops can still be hit or miss.
The Perfection Fresh farm in Two Wells currently relies on workers who zip between the rows of vines on trolleys, tapping strings tied to the frames to gently shake the plants so pollen drops onto the stigmas to ensure pollination - or so they hope.
