World leaders in pollination control
World leaders in pollination control

Research

Research that supports better pollination control

At PBS International, every product we develop is focused on one objective: helping researchers, plant breeders and commercial seed producers achieve more reliable pollination control and better breeding results.

For more than 40 years, we have invested in research, product development and independent field trials to ensure our pollination bags, isolation bags and pollination control systems perform consistently in real breeding environments. By combining practical experience with scientific evaluation, we develop products that deliver reliable pollen exclusion, excellent airflow and effective protection from environmental conditions.

Developed through research, proven in the field

Our products are developed in partnership with universities, research institutes and commercial breeding organisations worldwide, helping us understand the real challenges faced in plant breeding, hybrid seed production and crop research.

Independent studies and field trials have evaluated:

Pollination control and pollen exclusion

Air and moisture permeability

Resistance to insects and environmental contamination

Durability throughout the breeding cycle

Seed quality and breeding performance

This research enables us to continually refine our products and provide solutions based on proven performance rather than assumptions.

We have undertaken collaborative research with leading organisations, including Embrapa, NCSU, NIAB, Oklahoma State University and Australian National University. We also publish regular research updates highlighting key findings and developments.

Supporting researchers around the world

PBS International products are used across breeding programmes covering cereals, grasses, forestry, oil palm, hemp, hops, cannabis and many other crops.

As breeding techniques continue to evolve, so does our research. We continue to investigate new materials, manufacturing techniques and product designs that improve pollination control while making breeding programmes more efficient and repeatable.

Our commitment to research ensures every product we manufacture is backed by decades of practical experience, scientific collaboration and continuous improvement.

Our research team is led by Technical Manager, Dr Daljit S. Virk OBE. With more than 45 years’ experience as a geneticist, plant breeder, university professor and international research leader, Dr Virk has worked extensively across Asia, Africa and the UK on internationally funded crop improvement programmes. He holds both PhD and Doctor of Science degrees from the University of Birmingham.

The research below highlights independent studies, technical evaluations and development projects that have contributed to the continuous improvement of PBS International’s pollination control products.

PBS Research Update 5

We share research about our pollination control tents for large-scale field projects, introduce new studies to understand pollination control in cannabis, and follow up on research highlighted in previous Research Update in both Forestry and Sorghum. 

Read More

Latest Research Paper: PBS Pollination Control Tents (PCTs) yield >30% higher seeds than open control!

We’re delighted to announce the publication of the latest research paper Assessing the effectiveness of nonwoven fabric pollination tents for improved grass breeding by Michael Trammell, Dusty G. Pittman, Daljit Singh Virk and Hannah Senior. 

Read More

Cannabis, Hemp & Pollination Control: Unique Challenges in a New Sector

As a result of increased legality, a multi-billion industry has been born almost overnight in medical and recreational cannabis, and alongside this a restriction (both perceptual and actual) has been lifted from the industrial hemp sector

Read More

New research shows how nonwovens improve plant breeding across the board

Newly published research in PLOS-One, carried out by NIAB, Aberystwyth University and PBS International, lifts the lid on the specialist nature of nonwovens for plant breeding.

Read More

Comparison of Pollination Bags

for Mass Production of Controlled Cross Seeds in Loblolly Pine.

Read More

PBS Research Update 3

Welcome to the third PBS International Research Update. In this edition we look particularly into the use of our pollination bags and tents in bioenergy crops, and follow-up on research highlighted last time.

Read More

PBS Research Update 4

Sorghum special This update is primarily about sorghum and tackling the major issues faced by sorghum breeders.

Read More

Reproductive biology of Melaleuca alternifolia (Myrtaceae)

PBS pollination bags have been used in a study into Melalecua alternifoila better known as the Narrow-leaved tea-tree, the source of tea-tree oil.

Read More

IBERS comparing pollination bag types in miscanthus crosses

Comparing pollination bag types and the effect of environmental conditions on seed set in miscanthus crosses.

Read More