Two BerryWorld suppliers are working with AgriSound and York St John University to use bioacoustics sensors to monitor pollination in strawberry production
Bioacoustic agri tech firm AgriSound has won a second round of Innovate UK ADOPT funding for a project to make strawberry pollination more measurable and help increase yields.
The 18-month project will monitor pollination across 20 hectares of strawberry production at Nottinghamshire-based Tasker Partnership and Scottish supplier PJ Stirling, using bioacoustic sensors from AgriSound. York St John University will provide the analytical support.
Sensors will monitor pollinator activity during flowering, giving real‑time visibility of performance, and treating pollination as a manageable biological process rather than a fixed input.
Insights from the 2026 season will inform a replicated commercial‑scale trial in 2027, where evidence‑led decisions will guide hive placement, replacement timing and targeted pollination interventions.
“Pollination is one of the most important processes in strawberry production, but it is also one of the least measurable,” said Tasker Partnership’s head of technical, Milko Rodopski.
“This project gives us an opportunity to better understand what is actually happening in the crop during flowering and make decisions based on evidence rather than assumptions.”
Current estimates suggest that up to 14 per cent of fruit can be lost or downgraded due to uneven pollination, significantly affecting farm profitability.
“By combining bioacoustic monitoring with AI‑driven analytics, we can start giving growers objective insight into pollination performance across their farms in real time,” said founder and CEO of AgriSound, Casey Woodward.
“This project is an important step toward making pollination more measurable, manageable and efficient,” he said.
Findings will be shared through grower networks, industry events and case studies and to support adoption across pollinator‑dependent sectors including soft fruit, top fruit and protected horticulture.
AgriSound’s pollination innovation technology to monitor bees in commercial agricultural spaces is being used elsewhere by companies including British Sugar, M&S and Dole UK.
Current projects include pioneering precision pollination farming and providing key CSRD data for businesses.
Applications for the next round of ADOPT grants, which allow farming, growing or forestry businesses in England to apply for a share of up to £5 million for on-farm trial and demonstration projects, are open until 29 July via Defra.
