Data-driven precision pollination company BeeHero has launched the upgraded version of its Pollination Insight Platform in-field sensing solution, which measures pollinator activity in crops to improve pollination efficacy and increase yields, according to a news release. Building on its initial offering, PIP 2.0 features expanded pollinator identification, enhanced sensor design, advanced monitoring capabilities, innovative heat map technology and comprehensive field coverage to provide precise, real-time data-driven insights and predictive models for growers.
Approximately 75% of major food crops depend on pollinators, with bees the most vital among them, says BeeHero. Consequently, effective and efficient pollination is a cornerstone of sustainable agriculture, biodiversity and future global food security, it says.
Leveraging its proprietary sensing technology, BeeHero monitors frequencies of bees in the field to determine the rate of pollinator visits, thereby allowing growers to assess the effectiveness of pollination, identify potential issues and take proactive measures to improve results.
The PIP 2.0 in-field sensing solution now offers high-resolution heat map technology, which monitors bee activity in the field in real time, providing growers with unprecedented and invaluable insights into pollination progress, the release said.
“PIP 2.0 represents a transformative step forward in agriculture technology. It not only provides growers with unparalleled insights and control over their pollination processes, but also catapults BeeHero’s database of bee activity — the largest such database in the world, already fueled by the 25M in-hive samples collected daily by BeeHero — to new heights,” said Omer Davidi, CEO and co-founder of BeeHero. “BeeHero is consistently pushing the boundaries of innovation to support both growers and beekeepers. By continuously advancing our sensor technology and real-time data analytics, we are empowering them to optimize yields, reduce labor costs, and enhance the sustainability and profitability of their operations unlike ever before.”
BeeHero says PIP 2.0 also offers comprehensive coverage and precise data, replacing traditional manual methods of in-field data collection.
The company adds that this approach allows growers to:
- Identify preferred foraging times and varieties.
- Access real-time bee activity.
- Assess the relationship between hive numbers and quality, spacing and orchard activity.
- Monitor the ratio of bee visits to male and female rows of crop flowers per minute.
- Build predictive models for yield and pollination success, particularly for seed production and cross-pollinated crops like almonds, blueberries and more.
Additionally, PIP 2.0 can identify a wide range of pollinators, including leaf-cutter bees, hover flies, carpenter bees, bumblebees and honeybees, the release said. This expanded identification capability allows for a more comprehensive understanding of pollinator activity and contributions in the field, leading to more informed decisions for crop management.
The upgraded and newly designed sensor is also more resilient and robust, the company says, with the ability to turn towards the bloom, to be adjusted to various heights, and to provide better coverage of the field due to its round shape. Additionally, the device is now waterproof and features enhanced sound capabilities and noise cancellation, ensuring reliable performance in diverse environmental conditions.
BeeHero says the PIP 2.0 platform is now operational across the U.S., Israel, France, Holland, Australia and South Africa, and has expanded its application to monitor and optimize the pollination of diverse seed crops such as onion, carrot, sunflower, watermelon and radish, and fruit crops such as apples, blueberries and raspberries.
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