Precision Pollination as a Service
The Pollination Solution
Edete’s Precision Pollination as a Service (PPaaS) brings pure, clean, viable, and high-quality pollen directly to your orchard and applies it precisely and at the right time to increase and secure a bountiful yield in your orchards. Our process includes two unique phases.
Phase 1
Pollen Harvest & Storage
Edete’s trade secret methods cover the entire pollen collection process, which involves gently harvesting flowers, carefully separating the pollen, storing it, and ensuring its viability.
The pollen we use is completely natural and harvested from our trusted network of California farms. To ensure the best quality and genetic compatibility, we have our very own “pollen bank” where we can store pollen for several years, guaranteeing our customers always have access to the highest quality pollen for their trees.
Phase 2
Pollen Application
that uses electrostatic technology to delicately deliver pollen onto trees, allowing for precise dispersal of small amounts, typically grams or even parts of grams, per tree. These machines are equipped with advanced sensors that measure temperature, humidity, and wind speed, ensuring optimal timing and efficient pollen dispersion. We electrostatically charge the pollen as it leaves the machine to significantly boost the chances of the pollen finding its intended target instead of being blown around and left to chance. What’s more, these units are designed to operate continuously, day and night, even under suboptimal weather conditions.
Benefits of Precision Pollination
Grow More Pistachios
Increase Yields
Edete’s precision pollination service has demonstrated double-digit increases in yield compared to controls. The case study conducted in a pistachio orchard showed an average 24% increase in pistachio yields compared to control groups.
Control Pollination
By applying an electrostatic charge to the pollen and considering factors like humidity and wind speed, PPaaS increases the likelihood of pollen finding its target, resulting in more efficient pollination compared to traditional spray methods.
Beat Environmental Challenges
Insufficient chill hours can cause male and female pistachio trees or different almond cultivars to flower at different times, leading to low pollination and reduced yields. Edete’s precise pollination service helps ensure targeted pollination even when trees do not bloom simultaneously.
Adapt to Various Crops
While the main focus of Edete’s service is currently on pistachios and almonds, the company plans to expand to other crops, such as avocados, apples, pears, and cherries. This versatility will allow growers from different sectors to benefit from Edete’s service.
For us, mechanical pollination is a hedge against events like last year and to see if we minimize some of the effects of alternate bearing [annually fluctuating heavy and light crops].
Farmer Manager, Materra Farming
Taking Orchard Productivity to New Heights
Features of PPaaS
Pollination is an essential biological process in our food production systems and contributes substantially to our economy. Edete’s solution manages the entire process of pollination, starting from harvest to storage and through dispersal of pollen, thereby reducing pollination risk within our food systems.
Safe and Effective Pollination
The dry pollen we deliver precisely to your trees is 100% natural and does not contain any chemicals or other artificial substances. We are simply supplementing what Mother Nature already does.
Robotic Pollinator
disperses controlled and managed quantities of pollen during the blooming season following the unique contour of each tree to allow fertilization to occur.24/7 Pollination
can operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, night or day, as opposed to unpredictable wind conditions or honeybee pollination, which is constrained to ideal weather conditions.Maximum Return on Investment
Edete’s PPaaS consistently produces a 4x-6x return on pistachio pollination investment, and we stand behind our commitment to 100% customer satisfaction.
case study
The Case for Precision Pollination
In 2021, Edete embarked on an exciting trial in the pistachio orchards of northern California. The goal was to explore the potential benefits of artificial pollination across various pistachio cultivars. Carefully planned and executed, the trial included different supplemental pollen dosages and applications, resulting in a statistically significant 24% average increase in fresh nut yield per acre. The findings from this case study showcase the immense potential of Edete’s innovative approach to revolutionize pistachio cultivation.
Edete FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
Why would I need to pollinate? Mother Nature does this for me.
There are two issues that comes with the “Mother Nature Method” of pollinating pistachio trees:
1) Bloom Desynchronization – primarily due to a lack of “chill hours accumulation”, the male pistachio trees and female pistachio trees do not bloom at the same time. When this happens, the female trees (the nut-forming tree) will not receive enough (or none at all) pollen from the male trees. We solve this because we are bringing high-quality, pure, and natural pollen to the female trees exactly when they are ready. Regardless of what the male trees are doing.
2) Pollination Rate – because pistachio trees are wind pollinated, the wind must be timely and adequate to ensure a good “pollination rate”. This means that a high enough amount of female flowers are receiving enough pollen at the right time. If it’s not windy enough – and at the right time – then the flowers will not be pollinated. On average, a female pistachio tree will have about 10% of its flowers pollinated, but the tree can actually withstand between 70%-80% pollination; this percentage is what’s known as the “pollination rate”. We solve this because we are bringing the right amount of pollen at the right time, regardless of the wind speed and/or direction, and delivering it directly to the female trees. The pollination rate will easily be 30%-40% and sometimes higher.
How does it work?
We bring high-quality pollen (clean & viable) directly to the field and apply it precisely and at the right time to increase and secure yield.
We have two unique phases to delivering our solution:
Phase 1: Pollen harvesting, processing, and long-term storage (we own trade secrets on the methods).
Phase 2: Pollen delivery – we know when to apply, precisely how much (dosing + electrostatic charge), and ensure viability.
What does the machinery look like?
It’s a piece of farm equipment that is pulled behind a tractor, typically a John Deere 5125ML or similar. The pollinator, known as the 2B™, has a boom with multiple canons, inside of which is a small fan and tube with compressed air; the tube is where the pollen is distributed from. The pollen is delivered to this tube by our patented “dosing system” that uses the speed of the tractor and our specially designed computer system to precisely deliver only the exact amount of pollen that each tree requires. Inside the tube is also an electrostatic probe that applies an electrostatic charge to the pollen as it exits the tube.
Where does the pollen come from? Do you make it? Is it real or synthetic?
The pollen we use is all-natural and is harvested from California farms. The pollen is collected by hand from growers and suppliers that we work with and, in some cases, we can collect pollen from your own male pistachio trees and apply it to your female trees. We also have the ability to store the pollen in our very own “pollen bank” for several years ensuring that our customers will always have the highest quality and best “genetically fit” pollen for their trees.
Can I use my own pollen from my orchards?
Yes! See the answer to “Where does the pollen come from?”
Can mechanical or artificial pollination hurt the trees?
No, absolutely not. The pollen we deliver precisely to your trees is 100% natural and does not contain any chemicals or other artificial substances. We are simply supplementing what Mother Nature already does.
When do you run the machinery? Are there any limitations?
The 2Be can operate 24/7, day or night. Too much wind is not an issue, although we typically won’t operate when the wind is above 25 miles per hour; this is mostly due to dust rather than pollen flying around. The other limitation is moisture/precipitation. Pistachio pollen (naturally) will not perform its job with too much moisture in the air; this is a limitation of Mother Nature and now our machine or process.
How many applications of pollen are necessary?
We will apply pollen 1-2 times depending on the phase of the bloom when we enter the orchard. Typically, we will do one application when the majority of the trees are about 30%-40% in bloom, then we’ll perform a second application when the majority of the trees are about 70%-80% in bloom. This ensures an adequate pollination rate on the majority of the tree.
The pollination window is fairly short. Is there a limited amount of machinery?
Every year we are adding more service capacity by building more machines. We encourage anyone considering our services to get on our schedule as early as possible – even as early as the summer before the spring pollination season.
What if the ground is too wet?
If a tractor can get into the orchard then our equipment will operate with no issues.
Are you selling or leasing your machines? Or do you only provide a service?
We are currently only pollinating as a service, but we do plan to lease/sell our equipment in the future.
How much does your service cost?
Our consistent return on investment is 4x-6x for pistachio pollination. We price our services “per acre.” Please reach out to one of our crop specialists for a formal proposal and to get started.
What does the data show? Is it worth it?
We have successfully pollinated thousands of acres of pistachios, and yield increases range between 15% to 30%, in some cases up to 80%. Currently, we are working with the largest pistachio grower in California, and we have customers willing to speak directly with you if you want to have a personal testimonial. We also have a case study on our website for you to review.
Do you offer any guarantees?
Yes. We have no doubts you’ll be completely satisfied with our services, and you’ll experience nothing but the best customer service you’ve likely ever had in your life. However, if for any reason you’re not 100% satisfied then let us know, and we’ll make it right. We are proud to be an agricultural services company, and we want nothing more than for you to be happy the moment we shake hands.