Electric ecology meets pollination biology: A synthesis of current knowledge and future directions for artificial pollination

The electrical fields prevalent in the environment are significant enough to influence the natural pollination process. This study presents a comprehensive review of the concept of electric ecology in pollination, encompassing atmospheric electric fields, floral electric fields, the electrostatic charge accumulated on bees, electrostatic interactions between bees and flowers, the role of these interactions in pollen transfer, and artificial pollination techniques designed to mimic the behavior of pollinators. The potential difference between the ionosphere and the Earth's surface generates an Atmospheric Potential Gradient (APG); consequently, a positive charge in the atmosphere draws a negative charge to the Earth's surface as well as to the plants due to electrostatic induction charging. The charge disparity between the ground and the atmosphere creates an electric field around flowers, namely a floral electric field. Meanwhile, insect pollinators, especially bees, possess positive charges due to triboelectrification. The electrostatic forces of attraction between the bee and flower intensify rapidly, facilitating the transfer of pollen from the anther to the bee and vice versa. These electrostatic interactions contribute substantially to natural pollination processes. Understanding these phenomena is therefore crucial for the development of innovative, sustainable agricultural practices, especially for artificial pollination techniques by means of electrostatic pollinators.