PolliNation Podcast

The blueberry industry is one of the most dynamic fruit sectors in the US. As a consequence, what was recommended for pollination a few decades ago may no longer apply. This week we hear about a new initiative to develop a modern pollination planner for US blueberry growers.

This week we hear about an ambitious new initiative in California to increase the adoption of pollinator-friendly practices on working lands.

Bees are key pollinators of sweet cherry. This week we hear about research from Belgium on using other managed bee species to pollinate this crop (other than honey bees), the influence of encouraging pollinator habitat, as well as tips on keeping managed mason bees healthy and happy during cherry pollination.

One of the most influential books about bees has little to do with bees, but rather reflects on the nature of modern society. Bernard Mandeville (1670-1733) wrote and revised his “Fable of the Bees”, after publishing a poem in 1705 titled “The Grumbling Hive: or, Knaves Turn'd Honest”. The book is considered one the first pieces of modern sociology and was influential for revolutionaries later in the 18th Century. We discuss the book as part of a two-part series.

Listen in to today's episode to learn how hybrid systems work and the steps vegetable seed growers are taking to keep bees healthy during pollination.

"It's a labor intensive crop, especially if you're doing it transplanted." - Robyn Shephard.

Learn more about this episode of PolliNation at http://blogs.oregonstate.edu/pollinationpodcast/2018/12/24/robyn-shephard/