UK: Hayle vegetable grower to study bees to improve profit
The company is one of Cornwall’s premier suppliers of courgettes and the focus of the research will be on increasing the yields.
Little is known about the impact of British bees or other insects on courgette pollination and the research aims to uncover which species are pollinating Riviera Produce’s courgette plants.
The research will be carried out by a PhD student from the university’s Penryn Campus and will be funded by the Horticultural Development Company (HDC) at the 5,000 acre Higher Trevaskis Farm.
By using nets to exclude pollinators from some plants, while increasing numbers among others, the student will be able to measure the difference pollinating insects make to the yield.
The student will experiment with different ways of attracting more pollinators which could involve growing wild flowers nearby to see if they provide an attraction or distraction, or introducing more pollinating species, for example honeybees or commercial bumblebees, to the plants.
The HDC industry representative on the project, Ellis Luckhurst, technical manager at Riviera Produce, said: “Courgettes are a very high value crop with tight profit margins, so just a small increase in yield could make a big difference commercially.
“Pollination is a hot topic at the moment so it is important for us to address these issues. We don’t yet know how much of a role – if any - bees play in pollinating courgettes, but this research will ensure we base any future changes on sound science. As well as looking to answer some practical questions about how we can make our plants perform better, we want to ensure we manage wildlife at the farm in the best possible way.”
As well as benefiting Riviera Produce, the research findings could be relevant to other commercial growers in the UK as well as amateur gardeners and allotment holders.
The ESI is working with businesses and enterprises across all sectors of the economy in Cornwall to translate research and expertise into innovative business practices, products and services in order to respond to the challenges of environmental change.
Professor Juliet Osborne of the University of Exeter’s ESI said: “This is a great opportunity to do some cutting-edge science while also benefiting a local business. I hope this research collaboration will make a real difference to the business commercially and to Cornwall’s local food agenda, as well as helping them ensure they have a positive impact on the local environment. It should be good for the business and good for bees.”
The ESI, HDC and Riviera Produce are jointly recruiting the student who will begin the three year project (HDC CP 118) in early 2015.
Source: cornishman.co.uk