Project Overview
FNE05-554
Project Type: Farmer
Funds awarded in 2005: $4,304.00
Projected End Date: 12/31/2007
Region: Northeast
State: West Virginia
Project Leader:
Horn-faced bees vs. indigenous pollinators in blueberries
Commodities
- Fruits: berries (other)
- Animals: bees
Practices
- Farm Business Management: budgets/cost and returns
- Production Systems: general crop production
- Sustainable Communities: sustainability measures
Proposal summary:
Small-acreage blueberry producers rely on wild or indigenous pollinators for blueberry pollination, while larger growers often lease honey bees for pollination. Yet honeybees are not effective pollinators of blueberries, and this project will investigate the use of horn-faced bees for pollination. A series of field experiments will compare the rate of pollination and the size of berries produced by plants pollinated by wild pollinators and those pollinated by wild pollinators and horn-faced bees. Outreach will be through presentations and newsletters.
