scientist are tracking Australian aboriginal stingless bees to see what they like to use up and how dieting bear upon overall hive wellness and their ability to pollinate crops effectively .
The work come after the find of Varroa Mite in New South Wales in 2022 , which has impacted gardening agriculturist ’ approach to the commonwealth ’s most vernacular crop pollinator , the European Honey Bee .
Delivered through Hort Innovation and run by Western Sydney University and Griffith University in partnership with cardinal commercial stingless beekeepers and diligence better half , the program will contribute to the develop pool of knowledge about the commercial management and capabilities of alternative pollinator .
Hort Innovation chief executive officer Brett Fifield say the program is being driven by the bright mind in pollenation research and is lively to safeguarding the future tense of Australian horticulture products .
“ The incursion of Varroa Mite has placed us in a posture where we have had to reassess how we think about pollination , ” Mr Fifield said . “ unlock the electric potential of alternative pollinator , like the stingless bee , is buy the farm to be subservient in providing the horticulture sphere with new crop pollinating choice . ”
Western Sydney University Professor James Cook said the project will distinguish the nutritional choices of stingless bees by detecting the pollen species and essential nutrient collected during their forage activities .
“ We are exploring the human relationship between stingless bee ’ dietetical choices and their colonies ’ wellbeing , ” Prof Cook said . “ By empathize this relationship , we can name new opportunities to optimise hive health , such as introducing nutritional supplements into stingless bees ’ colonies , and thereby improve propagation of the bees and pollenation Robert William Service . ”
In increase to working on stingless bee nutrition , crop pollenation test will be conducted at a state - of - the - art research nursery at the National Vegetable Protected Cropping Centre on the Western Sydney University Hawkesbury campus . craw such as avocados , macadamias , strawberries , mangos , and lychees may be investigated during this project . The pioneering research will admit both research lab and field studies , as well as behavioral experiments with stingless bee .
Sugarbag Bees ’ Business Owner and Beekeeper Tim Heard said the facility ’s experimental beehive consecrate to bee erect would equip beekeepers with the knowledge to propel stingless bee management to new heights .
“ This research is fascinating and holds immense potency for enhancing crop pollination , ” Dr Heard tell . “ By equipping beekeepers with worthful noesis about rearing and managing these incredible pollinator , we will pave a sustainable future for beekeeping and , as a result , the gardening diligence . ”
Research into maintain honey bee health and hike up alternative pollination methods is a anteriority for Hort Innovation , with $ 61 M of investments presently afoot across various activities , including the development of a Varroa tinge pesticide that is secure for bees .
This task addresses several of the primal priorities within the AgriFutures Australian Native Bee Strategic RD&E Plan . The increased Colorado - investment partnering with Hort Innovation furnish increase investment capacity and a bang-up return on investment for the manufacture .
For more information : Hort Innovationwww.horticulture.com.au
Frontpage exposure : © Dreamstime
