While honey bee workers are all the same size, that’s not true for bumblebees. Scientists aren’t sure what’s behind the wide variety in bumble body sizes, but a new UC Riverside project aims to find out.

Certain crops, like greenhouse tomatoes, eggplant, peppers, and blueberries, rely on bumblebees for a style of pollination that only bumblebees can perform. Among growers, the preference can be for bigger-bodied bumblebees because they’re thought to be more efficient pollinators.

Enabled by a $750,000 grant from the National Institute of Food and Agriculture, the research team will investigate factors suspected of influencing bumblebee biology and body size, including climate change, wildfires, and the presence of nearby honey bee colonies.

In many cases, individual animals are born smaller when their habitat has less nutrition available. The researchers want to know if this is also true for bees. “One idea is that honey bees are taking more food resources, resulting in smaller bumbles. This is part of what we will be testing,” said UCR entomologist and project lead Hollis Woodard.

To test this, the researchers will collect bumblebee size data over the next four years from places both with and without honeybees nearby. “It’s hard to find anywhere in the lower 48 without either managed or feral honey bees. For this reason, we’re headed to Alaska for part of the study,” Woodard said.

Fire may also play a role in bumblebee development. Some research has shown that bumblebees are born bigger, and in higher numbers, during the years following a wildfire. Since wildfires are common in California, the research team will also be collecting data from places throughout the state with different types of fire histories.

“Fires are good in some ways for bees,” Woodard said. “As the land recovers from the burn, a lot of flowers appear, offering food.”

In addition to the mystery of what influences the bees’ body size, it’s also unclear what role size plays in a bumble colony. While all bumblebee workers perform the same functions, variation in size could allow the hive as a whole to collect pollen from a wider variety of flowers.

Though bigger bees can collect more pollen, they might not be right for every plant species. For some flowers, especially those that are trumpet-shaped, smaller bumblebees are better pollinators.

“There are theories that bumblebee sizes are just random, or that it’s just generally good to have variation,” Woodard said. ‘Right now, we don’t yet know exactly what this variation in size does for colonies.”

In addition to benefitting crop growers, the team’s findings could ultimately benefit the bees themselves. “Any insights we gain into factors affecting the bumblebees could help us better understand how to bolster their dwindling populations,” Woodard said. “Helping them in turn helps ensure the health of wildflowers, as well as our food supply.”

Source: ucr.edu

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Researchers shed more light on how insects pollinated the very first flower. (KarinD/Adobe)

The Botanic Gardens of Sydney has published a paper with researchers from Macquarie University and Western Sydney University, shedding more light on one of the earliest origin stories about the birds and the bees.

A large dataset examining what pollinators are relied on by 1,160 species of different flowering plant families has been examined to determine the long relationship insects have had with some of the earliest flowers.

By examining a state-of-the-art ‘evolutionary tree’, researchers believe that insects have pollinated angiosperms, or flowering plants, over most of the plant’s 140-million-year evolution.

The findings of the botanical science study were published in the journal New Phytologist on Tuesday.

Macquarie University PhD student Ruby E. Stephens was the lead author of the paper. She explained the evolutionary tree showed when certain plant families evolved, which helped to advance the understanding of plant history.

“This is a significant discovery, revealing a key aspect of the origin of almost all plants on Earth today,” Stephens said.

“By running different models, we can map backwards from what pollinates a plant in the present, to what might have pollinated the ancestor of that plant in the past.”

A total of 90% of today’s flowering plants are pollinated by insects and the colour, scent, and even sexual mimicry of these many flowers have evolved to attract insects.

However, a number of other flowers do not depend on insects and instead rely on vertebrate animals, wind or even water to transport pollen.

According to researchers, until this study it was not clear which form of flower pollination came first.

The authors further believe that the first flower was also likely to be insect-pollinated.

“Plants are the lifeblood of our planet, and our study highlights the importance of insects to plant reproduction throughout Earth’s history,” Stephens said.

Dr Hervé Sauquet from the Botanic Gardens’ plant discovery and evolution team noted that in addition to insect pollinators, the research uncovered how other forms of pollination changed over time.

Wind pollination, for example, was more likely to evolve in open habitats towards the poles. Meanwhile, locations such as closed rainforests near the equator were where animal pollination was more likely to take place.

“Pollination from vertebrate animals like birds, bats, small mammals, even lizards, has evolved and reverted numerous times throughout history,” Sauquet said.

“Wind pollination has also evolved many times, but it is harder to reverse — once plants go pollination by wind, they rarely go back.”

Washington University biology expert Professor Susanne Renner said the findings confirmed insects pollinated angiosperms for most of this plant lineage’s history.

“This underscores the need for the conservation of insects — their role as pollinators is essential for the continued existence of plants,” she said.

We are here to share current happenings in the bee industry. Bee Culture gathers and shares articles published by outside sources. For more information about this specific article, please visit the original publish source: Insects have a lot to do with ancestral flower power, study finds (themandarin.com.au)

Two pending endangered species listings for pollinators can have major impacts on the almond industry as many almond growers have added pollinator forage such as blooming cover crops, hedgerows and floral strips to add value to their operation. Josette Lewis, Almond Board of California chief scientific officer, said 2023 will be a decisive year for the endangered listing of the monarch butterfly and native bees in California, which leads to questions for growers. However, work is underway to protect producers if this happens and Lewis took some time to answer those questions.

Q – What is the status of the monarch butterfly being listed as an endangered species?

Lewis – A couple of years ago, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service made the decision that monarch butterflies were warranted as an endangered species, but they had other priorities at the time. So, while it was not going to be listed, they are required by law to revisit that decision by the end of this calendar year.

Q – If they do get listed as endangered, what does that mean for an almond grower? 

Lewis – It means a couple of things:

The first is that a lot of almond growers have stepped up and added pollinator forage, flower resources and habitat to their farms and land around their farms. We’ve seen a great response in terms of the number of growers who have registered as Bee Friendly Farms, who are putting in flowering cover crops, and working with organizations like Monarch Joint Venture to specifically put in monarch habitat around their ranches. Several handlers are working with growers on pollinator habitat too, as it has value to some almond buyers.

For those growers who have stepped up, we want to make sure that they are protected if the monarch is listed as an endangered species. So, if they accidentally harm the caterpillars or the butterflies themselves, we want to make sure that they are not breaking the law because they’ve done such a good job of adding that forage into their operation.

The other issue, on an industry level, is that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency – who has to approve every crop production product our industry can use – was also mandated by law to increase their review of the potential negative impacts of pesticides on endangered species.

We know that if the monarch is listed, some of the products we use when they come up for re-registration, or any new products that are developed and need to be registered, will have extra scrutiny for their potential impact and could involve more restrictions on the use of those products.

Q – So it sounds like this could be a legal concern for growers and a bigger concern of more regulation on certain products if the monarch gets listed as endangered. What is ABC doing to address these two concerns? 

Lewis – We’ve been working with the Almond Alliance of California, other California agricultural interest groups, and some conservation groups who have been valuable partners of the California almond industry to negotiate a conservation agreement with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service that would protect growers who have monarch habitat if they accidentally harm any of those monarch butterflies or larvae.

The way those agreements work is that we have to show that there’s a net benefit to the pollinators. Things like adding flowers and habitat for monarch butterflies, and in exchange for doing those good things, in this agreement you’re then protected if you accidentally harm monarchs.

Also, as part of those negotiations, we are including the kind of practices that reduce risks of crop protection products and try to demonstrate that we can use those safely and still have a net benefit to monarch butterflies.

Q – “Net benefit” seems like the important term in this conversation. ABC grower-funded research has already been completed in this realm and showed pollinator gains from increased habitat outweighs the risk. Can you explain that?  

Lewis – That’s right. ABC funded research with a native bee expert at UC Davis, which was published last year, showed that when farmers add floral strips – such as wildflower strips, part of a hedge row or just wildflowers near the outside the orchard – the added food for native bees helps protect those bees from the impacts of pesticide exposure. So, there is a net benefit to those native bees.

This research provides good, peer-reviewed and science-based evidence that shows these kinds of activities we have seen many growers in our industry do have a net benefit.

Q – ABC and partners are already addressing these concerns, which is good because more and more growers and handlers are utilizing this practice, right?

Lewis – A lot of growers have been looking at cover crop and adding that into their orchard management. This year in particular, I heard a grower who planted cover crops talk about how the water didn’t stay standing in their orchards back in early spring when we had so much rain, rather that the water infiltrated and drained much more quickly.

There are agronomic benefits from the practice that are worth considering, in addition to benefits to pollinators. And adding more permanent habitat outside the orchard is another area where a number of our handlers in the industry have seen a market value. Buyers want to know that they have a supply chain of almonds that allows biodiversity and a healthy ecosystem on the farm. Some handlers have really leaned in with their growers and are encouraging those kinds of practices, and that’s added certain value to both growers and handlers.

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Source: National Honey Board

By Brian Amick

Honey bees are responsible for a third of the food we consume as Americans, thanks to their ability to pollinate some of our favorite fruit, vegetables and nuts. These efforts are celebrated during Pollinator Week, which runs from June 19-25.

“Honey bees in particular are powerhouse pollinators and getting involved in protecting their habitats — down to supporting healthy ecosystems — is something we can all do not only during Pollinator Week, but year round,” says Catherine Barry, the National Honey Board’s director of marketing. “The food and beverage industry would be quite bland without honey bees, as they are responsible for pollinating many of the ingredients used in some of the biggest food brands in the world.

Here are five ways to celebrate honey bees and other pollinators, according to the National Honey Board:

1. Plant native plants: Native plants are better adapted to the local climate and soil, making them easier to grow and maintain. They also provide the best food and habitat for pollinators.
2. Plant flowers with different bloom times: Pollinators need a diverse range of flowers to meet their nutritional needs throughout the growing season. Plant a variety of flowers that bloom at different times of the year to ensure a steady supply of nectar and pollen for pollinators.
3. Create habitat: Pollinators need a place to rest and nest in between feeding. Create habitat in your garden by leaving some areas wild and adding features such as brush piles to provide shelter for pollinators.
4. Avoid using pesticides: Pesticides can be harmful to pollinators and can disrupt the natural ecosystem in your garden. Instead, use natural pest control methods such as companion planting or handpicking pests to keep your garden healthy and free of harmful chemicals.
5. Provide water: Pollinators need water to drink and to regulate their body temperature. Provide a shallow dish or birdbath filled with water to give pollinators a place to drink and cool off on hot days.

Those who want to learn more about the essential role honey bees and beekeepers play in the food industry and pollination can visit the National Honey Board’s website or watch its Celebrating Beekeeping video series.

We are here to share current happenings in the bee industry. Bee Culture gathers and shares articles published by outside sources. For more information about this specific article, please visit the original publish source: National Honey Board shares Pollinator Week tips | Bake Magazine

Links:

Honey Bee Health Coalition: https://honeybeehealthcoalition.org/

Farmers for Monarchs: https://farmersformonarchs.org/

By Bhavana Kunkalikar Reviewed by Lily Ramsey, LLM

In a recent study published in the Nutrients journal, researchers evaluated using bee pollen as a nutrient source. The study focused on understanding bee pollens’ nutrient richness and possible role in the pathophysiological mechanisms linked to imbalanced nutrient levels.

Study: Translational Research on Bee Pollen as a Source of Nutrients: A Scoping Review from Bench to Real World. Image Credit: TippaPatt/Shutterstock.com

Background

Healthy nutrition is becoming increasingly important in the field of biomedical sciences. The role of nutritional deficiencies and imbalances in causing global public health issues, including cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, has been extensively proven.

Bee pollen has been identified as a potential aid in reducing health issues through nutritional interventions. Bee pollen is currently under extensive study and is a highly nutritious and well-balanced source of nutrients.

About the study

In the present study, researchers explored evidence supporting bee pollen (BP) usage as a nutrient source.

A scoping review was conducted to evaluate the existing evidence on the nutritional benefits of BP in both standard and pathophysiological environments. The team employed available data to assess the evidence, identify areas lacking knowledge, and create recommendations for future study.

Effective strategies have been developed, and efforts have been made to establish standards for framing, normalizing, and reporting conditions and achievements.

The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis Extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guidelines checklist, which was developed based on the Enhancing the Quality and Transparency of health research (EQUATOR) group’s approaches and released in 2018, is one of the recommended guidelines for systematic reviews and meta-analyses.

The focus was primarily on publications released within the past four years. The initial literature research revealed that there was repetition among bioactivity-related parameters studied for BP. Two previous general reviews involving BP were published before 2020.

Scientific data for analysis were gathered from various international databases specializing in medical and pharmaceutical fields, including PubMed, Scopus, ScienceDirect, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and Google Scholar. The team initially searched using the term “bee pollen” to identify relevant publications.

Results

The team found that BP is a nutrient-rich food source containing proteins, minerals, vitamins, unsaturated fatty acids, and oligo-elements. It is also low in calories and generally well-tolerated and safe, except for the possibility of allergic responses or external pollution, which can be managed and predicted.

Hazards associated with BP can result from external contamination, which can significantly impact pollen due to its sensitivity or from unfavorable storage and processing conditions.

Documenting pollen composition and considering patient sensitivity can prevent allergic responses to the product. Additionally, BP is safe for most physiological situations, including among children, the elderly, and recovering patients. BP is a valuable source of essential elements for pregnant and breastfeeding women.

A study of 27 commercial BP samples found that consuming 40 g of the product daily while breastfeeding can provide a significant portion of daily copper, manganese, iron, and selenium needs.

A review of over 100 published studies found that the primary components of BP, listed in order of weight or weight importance, are carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, ash, fibers, and other elements. The presence of polyols in the carbohydrate matrix contributes to its lower caloric value and helps maintain a balanced intake of energy sources and other nutrients.

BP’s rich composition makes it ideal for human nutrition, as it can help rebalance or prevent various nutritional deficiencies along with pathophysiological conditions.

The most extensively researched characteristic of BP is its antioxidant activity. Furthermore, the significance of BP usage lies in its potential as an anti-inflammatory agent.

The activity of bee pollen composition varies greatly depending on various factors such as plant and bee species, geographical region, timing, soil type, processing, and environmental conditions. Comparative studies have found that multi-floral pollens have stronger antioxidant activity than mono-floral pollens.

BP has significant anti-inflammatory effects on various types of inflammation, such as localized and systemic forms like digestive wall inflammations and neuroinflammation.

BP’s anti-inflammatory potential has been extensively researched, with different experimental studies highlighting various mechanisms.

The anti-inflammatory phytochemicals found in BP, including polyphenols, as well as other phytonutrients such as peptides, lipids, polysaccharides, and other compounds, have been linked to these activities.

Additionally, the team noted that the anti-inflammatory activity of BP varies based on bee species, in addition to differences based on botanical origin.

Conclusion

Overall, the study findings suggested that addressing the gaps identified in their study is crucial for improving research on BP.

The researchers recommend utilizing high-throughput technologies like omics sciences and computational-based simulation techniques to analyze the vast and diverse data.

Journal reference:

• Kacemi, R. and Campos, M. (2023) “Translational Research on Bee Pollen as a Source of Nutrients: A Scoping Review from Bench to Real World”, Nutrients, 15(10), p. 2413. doi: 10.3390/nu15102413. https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/15/10/2413

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With the ‘bombus bee’ project of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, in Turkey, bombus bees are produced under laboratory conditions. These bees ensure the fertilization of the products grown in greenhouses without the use of hormones and increase the yield. Bombus bees will increase the yield and quality by ensuring the hormone-free growth of eggplant, pepper, and other vegetables, especially tomatoes. It is also important for products such as melons and strawberries. While greenhouse cultivation is carried out on 81.000 hectares in Turkey, it is estimated that this area will expand with increasing momentum due to reasons such as global warming, population growth, and price stability. Bombus bees constitute the most important group after honey bees in the pollination of plants and are widely used, especially in greenhouse cultivation. While 600,000 of bombus bee families were sold in the country in the 2022-2023 season, the price for March 2023 was determined as 27 USD per colony. While greenhouse cultivation in Turkey is carried out in large areas in the Mediterranean and Aegean regions, the Directorate of Beekeeping Research Institute, which is the only beekeeping central unit of Turkey, evaluates the project activities carried out by growers. It has been determined that the use of bombus bees in greenhouses in the Black Sea Region was not common, especially in the pollination in tomato cultivation.

Thereupon, the project ‘Determination of Colony Characteristics and Suitability for Mass Production of Bombus Population in the Central Black Sea Coast Region’ was developed by the General Directorate of Agricultural Research and Policies (TAGEM). Within the scope of the project, the ‘Bombus Research and Application Laboratory’ was established in order to meet the needs of the sector and to ensure the commercialization potential of local bombus bee resources. The production of bombus bees in the laboratory environment started at the beginning of 2023. Bombus bees produced in the laboratory will be used in greenhouses in the provinces of the Black Sea Region. Within the scope of the studies carried out for the production of bombus bees, known as the ‘natural workers’ of the greenhouses, many colonies were obtained by enabling the ‘bombus terrestris’ breed queens to reproduce in the special climatization room created within the institute.

While bombus bees produced in the laboratory ensure the growth of eggplant, pepper, and other vegetables, especially tomatoes grown in greenhouses in the provinces of the Black Sea Region, without using hormones, it is aimed to increase the yield and quality of the products without disturbing the balance of nature. Thanks to bombus bees, which are used to help fertilize vegetables in greenhouse cultivation, labor costs are also reduced. A bombus bee visits 4,800 flowers in one day during its foraging activities.

We are here to share current happenings in the bee industry. Bee Culture gathers and shares articles published by outside sources. For more information about this specific article, please visit the original publish source: Bombus bees are produced in laboratories to be used in greenhouses (hortidaily.com)

$15K grant supports local efforts in eastern Kansas

Kansas teens are learning how to plan, plant and maintain habitats that attract butterflies, bees and other pollinators. (Photo courtesy of Cheri Nelsen, Wildcat Extension District)

MANHATTAN, Kan. – An ambitious group of teenagers have set out on a path to improve pollinator habitat in their communities, while giving a nod to the important role that bees and butterflies play in food production.

Cheri Nelsen, a 4-H youth development agent in K-State Research and Extension’s Wildcat District, said the teens are learning how to plan, plant and maintain habitats that attract pollinators.

“Many youth know about pollinators like bees and butterflies, but they don’t always know what is needed for attracting and keeping pollinators,” Nelsen said.

Earlier this year, Nelsen and Leavenworth County extension agent Sonya Murphy were awarded a $15,000 grant from the National 4-H Council and Corteva Agriscience to support community-based pollinator projects.

The group includes youth from the Wildcat District – which includes Crawford, Labette, Montgomery and Wilson counties in southeast Kansas – and Leavenworth County (northeast Kansas). Nelsen said 17 youth have received initial training for teaching others; each of those youth is charged with teaching an additional 250 youth about pollinator habitats.

National wildlife conservation officials have put recent emphasis on creating habitat that attracts pollinators. As an example, in mid-2022, the iconic monarch butterfly – known for its bright orange and black markings – was placed on the endangered list, a result of habitat destruction and climate change, among other reasons.

As they move about, pollinators often choose milkweed to lay eggs.

“Maintaining a healthy habitat is important for pollinators,” Nelsen said. In nature, bees, butterflies and other pollinators carry pollen from the male part of a flower (known as the stamen) to the female part of the same or another flower.

Nelsen adds: “We all need to eat, and pollinators also play a vital role in food production (by pollinating food crops). For myself, I enjoy watching kids learn new things and doing things to help the community.”

In Parsons, youth are planting a seven acre plot to native plants. Nelsen said part of the process is determining what type of pollinator plants need to be included.

In Leavenworth County, youth are planning a pollinator garden at the Veteran’s Administration hospital.

Nelsen said youth have also taught lessons at Earth Day and in local schools, and are planning events during the upcoming county fair season.

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Harvest 2023 expected to be down 3 percent from last year after a stormy bloom.

MODESTO, Calif. – The 2023 California Almond Subjective Forecast published Friday by the U. S. Department of Agriculture’s National Agricultural Statistics Service (USDA-NASS) estimates that the crop harvested in 2023 will come in at 2.50 billion pounds, 3 percent below last year’s 2.57 billion pounds.

Forecasted yield is 1,810 pounds per acre, down 90 pounds from 2022 and the lowest since 2005.

“A lower crop estimate was not unexpected considering all that growers dealt with last year and during this year’s bloom,” said Richard Waycott, president and CEO of the Almond Board of California (ABC). “The cold, wet weather kept bees in their hives and reduced the hours they could pollinate orchards. In the past three years, growers have faced high costs, shipping issues, drought and more. But the water picture is better, at least for this year, shipping continues at record levels and global demand continues to grow. California’s almond farmers are prepared to meet that global demand.”

The report said: “Record rainfall and unprecedented stormy conditions impacted pollination. Limited bee flight hours were reported in all growing regions. There were reports of downed trees due to high winds and oversaturated soil. Yields are expected to be the lowest in years, with variation observed across varieties and orchard locations. Colder than normal temperatures continued through March and April, resulting in a delayed crop.”

The Subjective Forecast is the first of two production reports from USDA-NASS for the coming crop year. It is an estimate based on opinions from a survey conducted from April 19 to May 6 of 500 randomly selected California almond growers. The sample of growers, which changes every year, is spread across regions and different sized operations, and they had the option to report their data by mail, online or phone.

On July 7, USDA-NASS will release its second production estimate, the 2023 California Almond Objective Report, which is based on actual almond counts in nearly 1,000 orchards using a more statistically rigorous methodology to determine yield.

This Subjective Forecast comes two weeks after USDA-NASS released the 2022 California Almond Acreage Report which found total almond acreage had dropped in 2022 to 1.63 million, 1.2 percent down from 1.65 million in 2021. It also estimated 1.38 million bearing acres in 2023, up from 2022’s estimate of 1.35 million bearing acres.

USDA-NASS conducts the annual Subjective Forecast, Objective Report and Acreage Report to provide the California almond industry with the data needed to make informed business decisions. These reports are the official industry crop estimates.

For More Information

Rick Kushman
Media Relations Manager
Almond Board of California
rkushman@almondboard.com
(916) 716-9900

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As more and more growers turn to environmentally friendly methods, bee pollination has become a popular choice. However, at seed breeding companies such as Westland Seeds, bumblebees are not very welcome in the greenhouse.

“In pepper seed production, we divide plants into male and female in order to cross them with each other,” the grower explains. The meaning of male plants is to produce pollen, while the flowers on female plants are meant to be fertilized. To make this happen, the pollen must reach the pistil of the female flower and fertilize the ovules, leading to fruit (and later on the seeds) development.

Credits: Hans op den Dries 

Careful parental lines selection leads to successful hybrid seed production
To create hybrid pepper seeds, there need to be cross two different parental lines. “To reach the goal – and that is a hybrid which carries all desired characteristics – the parents have to be selected carefully. We choose the parental lines based on such traits as color, shape, size, taste, texture, and – last but not least – yield and resistance,” the grower points out.

Hand pollination in pepper seed production
Once the parental lines are selected, the female flower buds need to be emasculated to ensure that they do not self-pollinate. Emasculation means removal of the male parts of the flower, which produce pollen – stamen.

“Next, we collect the pollen from the flowers on the male plants,” they continue. “The pollen needs to be carefully transferred to the pistil of the emasculated female flower bud. This process is known as hand pollination. After pollination, we allow the fruit to develop on the plant. The fruit will grow and eventually ripen, and the seeds inside the fruit will ripen too.”

Pollinations as a fully controlled process in seed production
Hand pollination allows this grower to have full control over the process. “By transferring pollen manually, we can ensure not only that the right parental lines are crossed and desired traits are passed down to the next generation. We also can control the quality and amount of pollen used in the process, which increases the chance of successful pollination,” they say.

Biological methods in plant protection
Pollination is an essential process in pepper seed breeding. Although bees are a popular choice for pollination, Westland Seeds uses a manual method to ensure control over the process. This is how they develop unique pepper varieties that would not be possible through natural pollination.

“Though bumblebees are unwelcome at our production location, we do appreciate specific kind of insects here: environmentally friendly pesticides that protect our pepper plants. Specially formulated pesticides target pests while leaving beneficial insects unharmed. This way, we can still contribute to biodiversity and sustainability.”

For more information:
Westland Seeds
Poortcamp 9E
2678 PT De Lier
Tel.: +31 174 527 750
Email: info@westlandseeds.nl
www.westlandseeds.nl

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By Eric Ralls

Earth.com

New research is shedding light on the remarkable ability of pollinators such as honeybees to detoxify defense chemicals produced by plants.

Scientists from the University of Exeter and Bayer AG have discovered that these insects, which belong to the Hymenoptera order, have a unique set of enzymes allowing them to break down harmful alkaloid toxins found in plant nectar and pollen. This critical trait has been preserved across nearly 300 million years of evolution and is shared by various species within this order, including bees, wasps, ants, and sawflies.

Alkaloids are chemical compounds that many plants produce as a defense mechanism against herbivores. However, these toxins can also be found in the nectar and pollen that pollinators rely on for nourishment.

To better understand how these insects can tolerate such substances, the researchers examined the genes of several hymenopteran species. They found that all of the tested species produce the same group of enzymes, known as the CYP336 family of cytochrome P450 enzymes, which helps them tackle alkaloid toxins.

Dr. Angie Hayward, from Exeter’s Penryn Campus in Cornwall, explained the significance of this discovery: “These species differ greatly, but one thing they share is this ability to detoxify alkaloids. We were fascinated to discover this family of genes has been preserved across almost 300 million years of evolution by a whole order of insects with very diverse lifestyles.”

Interestingly, the research also revealed that even species with minimal contact with certain key alkaloids, such as nicotine, have retained the ability to metabolize them. Dr. Hayward compared this to the human tailbone or appendix, which are remnants of our evolutionary past.

To further investigate the enzyme’s capabilities, the researchers extracted the enzymes produced by the hymenopteran species and placed them in a cell-line to observe their reaction with alkaloids. The results confirmed that these enzymes do indeed detoxify the toxins.

Dr. Bartek Troczka, also from the University of Exeter, emphasized the importance of understanding how insects react to specific toxins: “Understanding how insects react to specific toxins is vital – it should inform how we produce any new chemicals such as pesticides and insecticides. To avoid environmental damage, we need very specific compounds that do very specific things.”

This study contributes to the broader attempt to understand how chemicals are broken down by insects and the extent to which the genes responsible for this process persist across insect groups.

Dr. Julian Haas, insect toxicologist at Bayer AG, praised the multidisciplinary nature of the research, stating that it “highlights the promise of multidisciplinary teamwork to better understand the molecular and evolutionary basis of detoxification mechanisms in insects, which will ultimately aid with the understanding of their interaction with other toxins, including insecticides.”

The study received funding from the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) and Bayer AG.

To read about Plant Toxins go to;

Study reveals how pollinators evade plant toxins • Earth.com

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Netting’s implications for pollination still being explored.

Matt Milkovich, TJ Mullinax

Michigan State University graduate students Anna Evanson, left, and Reilly Ford roll up nets in a Honeycrisp block at MSU’s Clarksville Research Center in June. Trials show that using nets to block pollinators can effectively manage crop load without the use of chemical thinners.(TJ Mullinax/Good Fruit Grower)

Michigan State University trials show that draping nets over trees during bloom can successfully set a target crop load without the use of chemical thinners.

But those netting trials have resulted in other discoveries, too: discoveries that are taking the research in new directions.

For the past six seasons, tree fruit physiologist Todd Einhorn and his research team have studied nets on Fuji, Gala and Honeycrisp trees at MSU’s Clarksville Research Center, as well as in a couple of commercial orchards. They cover the trees with nets at various stages of open bloom, seeking to manage crop load by blocking pollinators. The trials have demonstrated that netting can produce commercial crop loads without the need for thinning, said research assistant Mokhles Elsysy.

Widespread commercial usage of nets for thinning is still down the road in Michigan. Like any bloom thinning approach, it will be complicated by the region’s unpredictable weather during bloom, but the researchers plan to expand the trials beyond a few experimental trees to entire orchards. They also want to explore some intriguing connections they found between seed number, fruit shape and weight, as well as answer some questions the trials have raised about the nature of pollination.

A pollination refresher: Apple flowers typically have five ovaries, each containing two ovules that can become seeds if fertilized. Pollen grains that are caught on the flower’s sticky stigmas must travel down each of the flower’s five styles to reach those ovaries. Miss a few and you end up with an apple with six or eight seeds instead of 10.

In the MSU trials, fruit from early net enclosure timings (pink and less than 20 percent king bloom) had markedly fewer seeds than fruit from later timings or controls. Fruit weight and symmetry was similar. That was a surprise, because conventional wisdom holds that the higher the seed count in an apple, the better its shape and greater its weight.

The MSU trials have not shown a linear relationship between seed number and fruit shape, however, implying that the relationship is not as strong as previous scientific literature suggests, Elsysy said.

They also found that the seed content of developing fruit is higher than the seed content of dropped fruit — a finding that was consistent in Fuji, Gala and Honeycrisp across two years of trials.

“This suggests seed content plays a role in competition for fruit set,” Elsysy said.

Another intriguing finding: Some pollination occurred under nets without the presence of bees or other insects. This suggested two possibilities: wind pollination or self-pollination.

Preliminary data show that some cross-pollination occurred — the pollen came from other trees bearing different cultivars and somehow penetrated the nets without the presence of insects. This suggests wind carried the pollen, Elsysy said.

“The idea that only bees pollinate flowers and wind plays almost no role is not correct,” he said.

If two or three different cultivars are planted near each other, pollen doesn’t need to travel long distances in order to achieve cross-pollination, he said.

Einhorn’s team plans to publish some of its results soon, Elsysy said.

by Matt Milkovich

We are here to share current happenings in the bee industry. Bee Culture gathers and shares articles published by outside sources. For more information about this specific article, please visit the original publish source: Net effects on pollination | Good Fruit Grower

University of Michigan

Summary:

There’s been a well-documented shift toward earlier springtime flowering in many plants as the world warms. The trend alarms biologists because it has the potential to disrupt carefully choreographed interactions between plants and the creatures — butterflies, bees, birds, bats and others — that pollinate them.

But much less attention has been paid to changes in other floral traits, such as flower size, that can also affect plant-pollinator interactions, at a time when many insect pollinators are in global decline.

In a study published online in the journal Evolution Letters, two University of Michigan biologists and a University of Georgia colleague show that wild populations of the common morning glory in the southeastern United States increased the size of their flowers between 2003 and 2012.

Increased flower size suggests a greater investment by the plants in pollinator attraction, according to the researchers. The changes were most pronounced at more northern latitudes, in line with a broad range of previous work showing that northern plant populations tend to show more dramatic evolutionary responses to climate change.

A shift to earlier flowering was also observed among those morning glory populations. In addition, there were tantalizing indications that the plants have increased their investment in floral rewards — the nectar and pollen obtained by the bees, syrphid flies and wasps that pollinate the white, pink and blue morning glory flowers.

“There is a major gap in our understanding of how traits that are crucial for plant-pollinator interactions may be evolving over time as a response to a changing climate,” said study lead author Sasha Bishop, a doctoral student in the U-M Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology.

“We show that — in addition to well-documented shifts to earlier flowering — floral architecture and rewards can also play significant roles in the evolutionary response to contemporary environmental change.”

The common morning glory is an annual weedy vine found across the eastern, midwestern and southern United States. It is frequently seen along roadsides and crop fields.

The U-M-led study used a “resurrection” approach that involved germinating morning glory seeds collected from the edges of agricultural soy and corn fields in Tennessee, North Carolina and South Carolina in two years: 2003 and 2012.

During that nine-year span, the region experienced rising temperatures — particularly rising minimum and nighttime temperatures — and an increase in the number of extreme rainfall events interspersed with more extreme drought.

To look for changes in floral morphology, the researchers planted field-collected seeds from both years in a greenhouse at U-M’s Matthaei Botanical Gardens. When the flowers bloomed, various floral traits were measured with digital calipers.

Measurements showed that morning glory corollas became significantly wider during the nine-year interval — 4.5 centimeters (1.8 inches) in diameter in 2003 and 4.8 centimeters (1.9 inches) in 2012, and the change in corolla width was greatest in populations at more northern latitudes. The petals of a flower are collectively known as the corolla.

The study also revealed a shift to earlier flowering times between 2003 and 2012, driven primarily by populations at more northern latitudes. The start of flowering occurred an average of four days earlier for the plants grown from seeds collected in 2012.

Interestingly, the researchers also observed a latitude-influenced trend toward greater investment in floral rewards (pollen and nectar) over time. On average, morning glory flowers grown from 2012-collected seeds produced more pollen grains and more nectar sucrose than the flowers from the 2003-collected seeds.

However, the pollen and nectar analyses involved only four populations of morning glory plants. Due to the low number of populations examined, the floral rewards findings were not included in a statistical test to look for evidence that adaptation through natural selection is occurring in the plants.

“Nonetheless, it appears likely that there is a temporal increase in investment in pollinator attraction and that this result is driven by populations at northern latitudes,” said study senior author Regina Baucom, an associate professor in the U-M Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology.

The study found no evidence that morning glories are increasing the rate at which they self-pollinate. Evidence from some previous studies pointed to increased “selfing” as a possible response to climate change and/or pollinator declines associated with land-use change.

“This is the first article to use the resurrection approach to examine the potential that traits responsible for plant-pollinator interactions may be evolving over time, concomitant to decreases in pollinator abundance and dramatic environmental changes due to changing climate and land-use regimes,” Bishop said.

Fifteen morning glory populations were included in the resurrection experiment looking at changes in floral morphology. Twenty-three populations were included in the study of earlier springtime flowering. In total, 2,836 flowers were measured from 456 plants.

The other author of the Evolution Letters study is Shu-Mei Chang of the University of Georgia. The work was supported by a grant from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and by graduate research funds from the U-M Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology.

We are here to share current happenings in the bee industry. Bee Culture gathers and shares articles published by outside sources. For more information about this specific article, please visit the original publish source: Bigger flowers, greater rewards: Plants adapt to climate disruptions to lure pollinators — ScienceDaily

Almond production is a prime example of the critical role pollinators play in our fragile food system. California’s Central Valley produces 80% of the world’s almonds and growers are dependent on honeybees to provide pollination for this important crop.  Bees are shipped from all over the country to provide pollination services, valued at an estimated $25 million annually.

For the first time in 25 years, orchard space actually decreased but in spite of a reduction of approximately 60,000 acres, a shortage of bees during bloom will certainly impact crop yield in 2023.  Predictions earlier this year indicated the acreage reduction could lead to an surplus of bees, causing prices to drop for hive rentals. Instead, it seems that beekeepers continue to struggle with significant losses and are struggling to keep up with demand even at a reduced level.  Low-level chronic exposure to pesticides is linked to bee decline, and in the early spring, these weakened colonies are more susceptible to pathogens and parasites as they struggle to regain vigor and health after overwintering.  Although there is a significant body of scientific evidence proving that neonicotinoids are responsible for pollinator losses, regulatory agencies continue to permit their use, creating a more fragile food system and causing food insecurity.

As beekeeper Dave Hackenberg explains, “Looking at bees all across the country, it’s not just a problem with the bees that overwintered in Florida or Texas or California, it’s not just a problem for bees out of controlled climate winter storage facilities. It’s a nationwide problem that goes back to what they were exposed to over the summer, with nearly 200 million acres planted in corn, cotton, and soybeans which are big users of systemic chemicals. Last summer the bees were stressed by exposure to pesticides, they carried it into the colony where they continued to be contaminated by it and were weakened over the winter.  We put them in almonds where they needed to grow fast and build numbers but their bodies were in bad shape.  A week or so after placing them in orchards, the bees just stopped flying. Calls started pouring in, folks looking for replacement bees but there were none.”

by British Ecological Society

Left: Honeybee collects nectar on the flowers. Right: Mina Anders counts the pollinators on the flowers. Credit: Mina Anders

A new collaborative study from the Universities of Gottingen, Hohenheim and Venda in Germany and South Africa, explores how improving plantation design can enhance pollination on macadamia plantations.

The reduction of biodiversity loss in agricultural landscapes calls for an increase in sustainable and environmentally friendly agricultural practices. A collaborative research team from the universities of Gottingen, Hohenheim (both of which are located in Germany) and Venda (South Africa), investigated how ecosystem services such as pollination could be improved in a macadamia plantation.

The results of the study, published in the Journal of Applied Ecology showed that a certain scheme of planting can increase the pollination performance of bees. Some of the design elements studied include the arrangement of trees, varieties of trees and the integration of semi-natural habitats in and around the plantation.

Professor Ingo Grass (University of Hohenheim) stated, “Insect pollination of macadamia flowers is essential for production. A complete loss of pollinators would reduce the amount of nuts by 75%.” To find out which conditions encourage pollinators, the team observed and counted the bees and other insects present on the macadamia flowers.

Mina Anders (University of Gottingen) explained, “The main factor is how large the proportion of semi-natural habitats is in the vicinity of the plantation, since that’s where majority of the pollinators fly in from.” 80% more nuts grew at the edge of the plantation, land that borders semi-natural habitats more compared to the middle of the plantation.

Directly after flowering, the nut formation increased more than threefold in tree rows planted at right angles to semi-natural habitats, compared to rows planted parallel to them. Pollinators prefer to fly along the tree rows rather than through them, so they are able to move more easily from their habitat to the plantation when rows are placed perpendicular.

Given the urgency to reduce the harmful environmental impacts of agricultural practices, the study emphasizes the potential of supporting ecology through intelligent plantation design and the restoration of semi-natural habitats in plantations and the surrounding landscape.

More information: Mina Anders et al, Smart orchard design improves crop pollination, Journal of Applied Ecology (2023). DOI: 10.1111/1365-2664.14363

Journal information: Journal of Applied Ecology

We are here to share current happenings in the bee industry. Bee Culture gathers and shares articles published by outside sources. For more information about this specific article, please visit the original publish source: https://besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/1365-2664.14363