Buzz pollination plays a crucial role for plants with poricidal anther dehiscence, like tomatoes. However, the exact process of how pollen is ejected during buzz pollination has remained unclear due to a lack of detailed observations at the microscopic level.
A recent study used Micro-CT imaging to explore the internal structure and size of tomato flowers. Researchers then built a 3D model of a standardized tomato flower using discrete element simulation. This model helped simulate the collisions and adhesion of pollen grains during buzz pollination, allowing scientists to directly calculate the pollen ejection process.
By comparing these results with existing studies, the researchers developed a comprehensive model of buzz pollination in tomatoes. This study offers a new, simple, and efficient method to better understand how pollen is released from pored anthers during mechanical or bee-induced vibrations, helping to advance the field of pollination research.
