Native Vs. Managed Pollinator Effectiveness On Haskap Study Released

The research that has been done over the past couple of years involving the  comparative pollination performances of native and managed pollinators on Haskap (Lonicera caerulea: Caprifoliaceae) has just become available online.  It can be accessed here for free until February 9th, 2016.  This research was performed by: S. Danae Frier, Christopher M. Somers, and Cory S. Sheffield (Dept. of Biology, University of Regina and Royal Saskatchewan Museum).

Title - 'Comparing the performance of native and managed pollinators of Haskap (Lonicera caerulea: Caprifoliaceae), an emerging fruit crop ' - http://ac.els-cdn.com/S0167880915301754/1-s2.0-S0167880915301754-main.pdf?_tid=be095eb2-a8c4-11e5-babf-00000aacb35e&acdnat=1450800046_d05ce7916cd1082b20538a650f9379b6ffe

FLOWER POWER!!!

In keeping with our emphasis on the importance of pollination, here are a few links to articles that cover a new exhibit assembled by The Royal Saskatchewan Museum and now on display, entitled Insects, Flowers, and Food.    

http://www.prairiedogmag.com/2015-05-28/flower-power/

http://globalnews.ca/news/2000016/people-buzzing-about-new-exhibit/

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/saskatchewan/bees-bugs-flowers-focus-of-new-royal-saskatchewan-museum-exhibit-1.3075921

The  designers used one of Haskap Canada's photos in a multi-media presentation, which shows Dr. Bob in the field last summer on Haskap Day 2014.  Why not stop by and view their exhibit when you're in town!

Pollinators

With spring so comes buds, then leaves, then flowers.  Without insect pollinators no berry production occurs.  Here are a couple of links to articles of which haskap growers should be aware.  These cover pollination, pollinators, and bee loss...

http://www.xerces.org/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/farming_for_bees_guidelines_xerces_society.pdf

http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/bees-may-get-hooked-on-neonicotinoid-pesticides-1.3044237

'Birch Hills Host To Study Of Pollination Of Haskap' - Melfort Journal (June 12, 2014)

Here's an update on pollination research currently under way...

http://www.melfortjournal.com/2014/06/12/birch-hills-hosts-study-of-pollination-of-haskap-plants

Blue Mason Bees Being Studied As Haskap Pollinator

Blue Mason Bees are currently under study in north central Saskatchewan (zone 2) as haskap pollinators...

Osmia Lignaria - Blue Mason Bee

(photo courtesy os Hamish Graham)

Honeybees In Haskap Canada Member's Orchards - 2014

2014 Haskap Canada AGM (Part 3): Danae Frier & Haskap Pollination Research

Danae Frier is a M.Sc. candidate at the University of Regina. She reported on the pollination biology of Lonicera caerulea at this year's Haskap Canada AGM.

Beginning with plant structure, this provided the ground work for her to speak about the pollination possibilities.  Because of the uniqueness of haskap's two flowers eventually forming one berry study is currently under way to find more precisely the manner in which this mechanism functions. The pollination of this fruit is known to be fully insect-dependent.  The flower is bee-friendly, and given the time of flowering bumble bees and smaller native bees seem important, being inherently more cold-adapted.  Among other things, field studies this year will consider efficiency-compared-to-effectiveness of various pollinators and which factor is more important to haskap fruit pollination.  She also presented on the bumble bee life-cycle, the importance of forage establishment for year-round bee sustenance, and suitable nest sites for native pollinators.

Again, we include her presentation here and ask that if you share them that attribution is included.  Thank you...

 

http://haskap.ca

http://www.fruit.usask.ca/haskap.html

Pollination Researcher To Speak At 2014 AGM Morning Session

Ms. Danae Frier is currently a M.Sc. candidate at the University of Regina, supervised by Dr. Cory Sheffield (Royal Saskatchewan Museum) and Dr. Chris Somers (University of Regina).  She is studying the pollination biology of Lonicera caerulea.  She will deliver a brief talk on the subject, addressing what is already known about floral pollinators and the research planned for the upcoming summer, which will help identify which bees are the best pollinators of the crop.

Her former experience and education as a biologist has included: museum collections, burrowing owls, blue racers, and prairie rattlesnakes.

Haskap and Blue Mason Bees

A Blue Mason Bee study is currently under way by provincial entomologists in Saskatchewan.  Currently they are checking the pollen collected from this past year in order to see how effective these are as haskap pollinators.

Interested In Increasing The Pollinators In Your Haskap Orchard?

The Orchard Bee Association is holding its 4th Annual General Meeting in concert with it 1st International Pollinator Symposium and Expo from October 10 - 12, 2013, at Utah State University in Kaysville, Utah.

Haskap Day - U of SK 2013 (1)

If you did not attend, we missed you!  What would you have experienced if you had been there?

Morning Field Tour

Field Tour
Field Fruit Tasting
Special Observation: Hybrids, Native Canadian, Japanese, Russian Varieties
Mechanical Harvesting Demonstration
Pruning Methods

Lunch - Pizza

Afternoon Presentations

Current Research
Raised Bed Planting
Recipes/Cookbook
Pollination Study
Hydroplanting
Haskap Canada Update

Over the next several posts the highlights of these will be briefly touched upon...

Coldest Spring On Record

It’s now official.  There has not been this much snow on the Canadian prairies this late in 114 years.  And furthermore, it is the coldest spring on record here.  What will that mean for haskap plants, fruit bearing, etc.?  It’s really a valuable opportunity for haskap growers to pay special attention to these and other factors regarding haskap production.  One factor will be the effect on pollination/pollinators.  Growers should pay special attention to the types of insects carrying out the bulk of this work.  Here are a couple recent articles on the demise/decimation of honeybee colonies in particular:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/06/national-beekeeper-of-year-darren-cox_n_3029773.html

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=europe-set-to-vote-on-pesticide-ban-to-save-honeybees

Haskap Pollination

Haskap Canada member, Hamish Graham, has been considering how to produce better pollination success in his haskap crop.  Two pollination studies have recently been published: (1) Honey Bees Make Poor Substitutes For Wild Pollinators, and (2) Farming For Bees

The new provincial entomologist, Cory Sheffield will be working to identify wild pollinators in Saskatchewan.  Current work is being done by individual Haskap Canada members to identify and nurture native pollinators for better pollination success.

Links:

http://earthsky.org/earth/honey-bees-make-poor-substitutes-for-wild-pollinators

http://www.xerces.org/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/farming_for_bees_guidelines_xerces_society.pdf