Pollination cage and pollination method

1 . A pollination cage for the field pollination of a ridge planted crop, the pollination cage comprising:

a plurality of frames; and

one or more nets supported by the plurality of frames;

wherein the frames and one or more nets define at least one enclosed region for containing pollinating insects;

wherein each frame comprises a notched structure for placing on ridged ground, wherein the notched structure includes a board with a notch;

wherein the notched structure substantially provides the lower part of the frame and is configured such that, when the frame is placed on ridged ground, the ridge is received by the notch;

wherein the board has a lower surface for contacting flush against the ridged ground when the frame is placed on the ridged ground, the lower surface comprising flat regions for providing flush contact with flat parts of ridged ground, and the lower surface also comprising the notch for providing flush contact with the ridge in the ridged ground; and

wherein over a third of the lower surface is provided by the flat regions.

2 . The pollination cage according to claim 1 , wherein, for each frame:

the upper part of the frame is defined by one or more net supports that extend upwards from the lower part of the frame;

the one or more net supports and notched structure define an opening through the frame; and

the one or more net supports are arranged to support a frame opening net that covers the opening through the frame.

3 . The pollination cage according to claim 1 , wherein the opening has a square, rectangular or semi-circular cross-section;

wherein, for each frame, at least one of the net supports comprises a channel on its outward facing surface for receiving a fastener for securing a net to the net support; and

wherein, when a fastener is received by the channel, the fastener and channel form a seal for pollinating insects.

4 . The pollination cage according to claim 1 , wherein:

the frames are substantially planar structures;

the frames are arranged substantially in parallel and inline with each other so that a linear tunnel is defined between the frames;

the pollination cage has a square or rectangular footprint on the ground;

and, when the pollination cage is arranged on a crop that is planted in a linear row, the plane of each frame is orthogonal to the direction of the row.

5 . The pollination cage according to claim 1 , wherein each frame is configured so that each net that the frame is arranged to support is both removable from the frame and also re-securable to the frame.

6 . The pollination cage according to claim 1 , wherein the pollination cage is configured to cover a plurality of plots and to provide a separate enclosed region for each plot.

7 . The pollination cage according to claim 1 , wherein, for each frame:

the upper part of the frame is defined by one or more net supports that extend upwards from the lower part of the frame;

the one or more net supports and notched structure define an opening through the frame; and

the one or more net supports are arranged to support a frame opening net that covers the opening through the frame; and

wherein the pollination cage further comprises:

two end frames at opposite ends of the pollination cage; and

one or more intermediate frames that are located between the two end frames;

wherein each end frame comprises a frame opening net; and

wherein the number of separate enclosed plots with the pollination cage is reconfigurable in dependence on use of frame opening nets on the intermediate frames.

8 . The pollination cage according to claim 1 , wherein each net is arranged so that, when the pollinating insect is a bee, the pollinating insect is unable to pass through the net.

9 . The pollination cage according to claim 1 , wherein the pollination cage is arranged for use with a potato crop.

10 . The pollination cage according to claim 1 , wherein the notched structure of each frame comprises only one notch for receiving a ridge of the ridged ground.

11 . The pollination cage according to claim 1 , wherein the notched structure of each frame comprises a plurality of notches for receiving respective plurality of ridges of the ridged ground.

12 . The pollination cage according to claim 1 , wherein, in use, the height of the frame above the ground is about 1000 mm.

13 . The pollination cage according to claim 1 , wherein each frame comprises one or more spikes for insertion into the ground.

14 . The pollination cage according to claim 1 , further comprising one or more sensors configured to monitor the state of a crop being grown in the pollination cage, the growing conditions of the crop, and/or the state of the pollination cage.

15 . The pollination cage according to claim 1 , wherein each frame comprises one or more spikes for insertion into the ground; and

at least one spike comprises a soil moisture sensor.

16 . The pollination cage according to claim 1 , further comprising:

one or more sensors configured to monitor the state of a crop being grown in the pollination cage, the growing conditions of the crop, and/or the state of the pollination cage; and

a communication system configured to automatically transmit obtained data by the sensors to a central system for remotely monitoring the crop.

17 . The pollination cage according to claim 1 , wherein at least a half of the lower surface is provided by the flat regions.

18 . A method of reconfiguring the number of enclosed regions by a pollination cage for the field pollination of a ridge planted crop, the method comprising:

securing one or more frame opening nets to intermediate frames of the pollination cage;

and/or removing one or more frame opening nets from intermediate frames of the pollination cage;

wherein the pollination cage comprises:

a plurality of frames; and

one more nets supported by the plurality of frames; and

wherein the frames and one or more nets define at least one enclosed region for containing pollinating insects; and

wherein each frame comprises a notched structure for placing on ridged ground, wherein the notched structure includes a board with a notch, wherein the board has a lower surface for contacting flush against the ridged ground when the frame is placed on the ridged ground; and

wherein, for each frame:

the notched structure substantially provides the lower part of the frame;

the upper part of the frame is defined by one or more net supports that extend upwards from the lower part of the frame;

the one or more net supports and notched structure define an opening through the frame; and

the one or more net supports are arranged to support a frame opening net that covers the opening through the frame; and

wherein the pollination cage further comprises:

two end frames at opposite ends of the pollination cage; and

one or more intermediate frames that are located between the two end frames;

wherein each end frame comprises a frame opening net; and

wherein the number of separate enclosed plots with the pollination cage is reconfigurable in dependence on use of frame opening nets on the intermediate frames.

19 . The method according to claim 18 , further comprising increasing the footprint of the pollination cage by:

adding one or more frames to the pollination cage; and

providing one or more nets that extend a region enclosed by the pollination cage to the one or more added frames.

20 . A method of pollinating a crop, the method comprising:

constructing a pollination cage according to claim 1 above a planted crop; and

providing pollinating insects within the pollination cage;

wherein the frames and one or more nets define at least one enclosed region for containing pollinating insects.

21 . The method according to claim 20 , wherein:

the pollinating insects are bees;

the planted crop is a potato crop; and

the pollination type is cross and/or self pollination.