Poster Presentation International Plant Molecular Biology Conference 2024

Cellular vibration by sonication disrupts poricidal cone trichomes to boost tomato floral pollination, seed set, and fruit size. (#121)

Happy Only First Name 1 , Sidra Dr Anwar 1 , Angus Mr Dingley 1 2 , Thailammai Vinoth 3 , Weiguang Dr Lian 1 , Brian Dr Sindel 2 , Laurel Dr George 1 , Chun Dr Wang 3 , Chrisopher A/Professor Cazzonelli 1
  1. Western Sydney University, Richmond, NSW, Australia
  2. University of New England, Parramatta, NSW, Australia
  3. University of New South Vales, Sydney, NSW, Australia

Artificial tomato pollination methods rely on vibrations from robotic air devices, electric wands and trellis tapping, which elevate the pollination cost1. Sonic frequencies emitted from buzzing bees to ultrasonication vibrate plant cells without physical contact. How frequency-dependent sonication effects floral self-pollination, seed set, and fruit size remain unclear. We engineered devices to investigate the frequency-dependent power-law behaviour of floral living cells from greenhouse-grown tomato varieties - contrasting contact-induced oscillations from a vibrating wand and mechanical shaker arm with precision non-contact sonication emitted by a subwoofer speaker2. The velocity and acceleration of vibrating flowers and impact on poricidal anther cone cellular structures, self-pollination, and fruit development were assessed. Sonic frequencies range from 50 to 10,000 Hz increased pollination, fruit size, weight, and seed set in Sweetelle and Endeavour commercial varieties. Scanning electron microscopy revealed sonication loosened the trichomes joining the poricidal cone lobes that break the pollen binding forces in the anther to facilitate the pollination. Ultra-sonic frequencies enlarged fruit size, whereas seed set remained constant thereby challenging the floral cells power-law rheological characteristics in different frequency scales3. Tomato flowers display a low power-law cell behaviour to frequency-dependent sonication enabling its effectiveness as a precision non-contact technology to boost pollination and tomato fruit size without a substrate-borne component.

  1. 1. Dingley A, Anwar S, Kristiansen P, Warwick NWM, Wang C-H, Sindel BM, Cazzonelli CI. Precision Pollination Strategies for Advancing Horticultural Tomato Crop Production. Agronomy. 2022; 12(2):518. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12020518
  2. 2. Anwar S, Happy, Dingley A, Vinoth T, Liang W, Sindel B, George L, wang C & Cazzonelli C Sonic-induced cellular vibrations disrupt poricidal cone trichomes to boost tomato floral pollination, 03 August 2023, PREPRINT (Version 1) available at Research Square [https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-3198339/v1]
  3. 3. J.-T. Hang, G.-K. Xu, H. Gao, Frequency-dependent transition in power-law 588 rheological behavior of living cells. Science Advances 8, eabn6093 (2022).