Optimizing the Working Parameters of Pneumatic Pollinators Based on the Kinematic Properties of Rice Panicles

Highlights An experimental platform for the kinematic characteristics of panicles was constructed. A regression model for the kinematic characteristics of panicles and working parameters was established. The multi-objective optimization based on the kinematic characteristics of rice panicles was carried out. The optimized combination of working parameters was verified by field pollination experiments. Abstract. Pollen shedding and dispersal processes are inextricably linked to the movement state of hybrid rice panicles. The purpose of this work was to study the effect of the working parameters of the pneumatic pollinator on the kinematic characteristics of hybrid rice panicles during flowering and to further optimize the working parameters of the pollinator. An experimental platform was built to characterize the movement of the panicle. Orthogonal experiments were conducted with airflow velocity, action position, and walking speed as experimental factors and kinematic parameters such as displacement, velocity, and acceleration of the rice panicle as experimental indicators. A quadratic regression model between the working parameters and the motion characteristics of the rice panicle was constructed and analyzed by analysis of variance (ANOVA). Matrix analysis was used for multi-objective optimization of the working parameter combinations. Field pollination trials were conducted for the optimized combination of parameters. The results showed that the coefficients of determination of the regression models were all above 0.85, which indicated good accuracy. The motion characteristics of the panicle, including the displacement maximum, velocity maximum, and acceleration maximum, can be maintained at a high level when the airflow velocity is 24 m/s, the action position is 120 mm from the top of the panicle, and the walking speed is 0.4 m/s. The field experiments showed that the optimization results could obtain the desired pollen density, distribution, and uniformity. This study can serve as a reference for the development of pneumatic hybrid rice pollination theory and the optimal design of the pollinator structure. Keywords: Hybrid rice seed production, Kinematic characteristics, Mechanized pollination, Multi-objective optimization.