1999 Annual Report for FS99-100
Alternative Pollinators
Summary
The producer’s farm grows organic seeds on contract for a national seed company. During the 1998 growing season, two cosmos type flowers failed to produce more than a ten percent seed crop even though they bloomed profusely. All indications pointed to a lack of pollination. This suspicion was strengthened by the fact many local beekeepers are losing their honey bees to mites. This is, and will be, a major problem for agriculture, especially here in the burley tobacco belt where tobacco farmers are looking to fruits and vegetables (all needing pollination) as supplements to tobacco.
Many insects, birds and bats pollinate plants. If some of these species can be identified and encouraged to stay on his farm, the producer is convinced his seed production will increase.
The producer will determine if alternative pollinators can pollinate the cosmos plants mentioned above. Further, he will attempt to identify alternative pollinators native to his area of Kentucky. He will also work with an extension agent from the University of Kentucky and a researcher from Kentucky State University to determine how to attract and maintain populations of native alternative pollinators on his farm.