Project Overview
Commodities
- Fruits: berries (blueberries), berries (brambles), berries (other), berries (strawberries)
- Animals: bees
Practices
- Crop Production: beekeeping, high tunnels or hoop houses, pollination, pollinator health
- Education and Training: demonstration, extension, on-farm/ranch research
- Natural Resources/Environment: biodiversity
- Sustainable Communities: new business opportunities, partnerships, quality of life, sustainability measures
Proposal abstract:
Farmers struggle to achieve
adequate pollination for many berry crops, possibly in part due
to the heavy reliance on a single pollinator species: the
honeybee. We propose the development of additional species of
bees for managed pollination of berries. This will strengthen the
sustainability of our food systems while supporting existing
natural pollinator diversity, and the economic benefits derived
will improve farmers' lives by increasing profits and easing
burdens.
We will investigate the
application of 4 lesser studied mason bee species on berry farms,
all with some potential for berry pollination either shown
through pilot study results, or previous scientific literature.
We will determine if they pollinate a target crop by ID’ing the
pollen in their brood provisions and comparing it to crop pollen
samples. Additionally, we will test these bees' propensity to
being managed for agriculture by evaluating their nesting success
and estimating material and labor costs to maintain populations.
Together these strategies will, 1) Identify which bee-crop
pairings show potential for future development, and 2) Compose
recommendations for cost-effective management strategies.
We will use targeted outreach to
connect farmers with our research, including: university
extension publications, short YouTube videos/tutorials, social
media promotion, and presentations at grower meetings. We will
partner with bee conservation-focused organizations to promote
these materials to reach their respective memberships of largely
bee managers and farmers (Orchard Bee Association) and backyard
gardeners and bee enthusiasts (Oregon Bee Atlas) to, 1) Improve
producer and beekeeper knowledge about mason bee management and
its benefits and 2) Distribute discoveries about mason bee
pollination of berry crops.
This final outcome of this project will be to, 3) Publish on the
management potential of these mason bees in berry crop systems in
a peer-reviewed journal.
Project objectives from proposal:
Research Objective 1: Investigate
the aptitude of 4 mason bee species to be managed in commercial
berry crop production using pollen ID.
Research Objective 2: Examine the
nesting material preferences of 4 mason bee species to
cost-effectively balance material attractiveness with management
constraints.
Education Objective 1: Increase
knowledge about mason bee management and its benefits among
farmers and beekeepers by producing 2 educational videos.
Education Objective 2: Distribute
discoveries about berry pollination with mason bees to a broad
audience of farmers, beekeepers, and backyard gardeners by
publishing 2 factsheets.
Education Objective 3: Publish a
peer-reviewed paper on the management potential of the 4 mason
bees studied in berry crops.