A robot instead of bees: scientists have created a machine that can pollinate plants (video)

A robot that can replace insects and pollinate plants was created at the West Virginia University (WVU). The first tests are being carried out on berries grown in greenhouses, writes “Agro-Center”.

World trends show that the population of pollinating bees decreases each year. It is a serious threat to agriculture. After all, it is the bees that pollinate most of the crops. Scientists warn that the disappearance of bees can lead to a reduction in the amount of food.

The new robot can pollinate plants on its own, plan the path, independently manage its movement and perform other small actions.

“One of the main problems associated with current agricultural production is pollination of crops. 35% of world crop production with an annual turnover of approximately $ 577 billion, is directly dependent on the presence of pollinators. Therefore, the reduction of the population of honey bees is a catastrophe. From the standpoint of economic and food supply stability, there is an urgent need to look for alternative pollination systems,”

said one of the developers.

This project is being implemented within the framework of the National Robotics Initiative program, and developers receive funds from the American National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).