The collapse of the ubiquitous honey bee population during the past 20 years has caused a pollination vacuum for many crops. Surveys and grower experience indicate that a crisis exists in pollinator populations. This book is an accessible, practical and authoritative research-based guide to using bees for crop pollination. It emphasizes conserving feral bee populations as well as more traditional methods of culturing honey bees and other bees. It addresses the biology of pollination, culturing and managing bees for optimum crop pollination. Individual pollination requirements and recommendations for the world’s main crops are covered in 36 short chapters that make up the second part of the book.
Entomology, crop science, plant breeding, ecology.
Benefits of Bee Pollination
Bee Pollination
Bees: An Overview
Bee Conservation
Honey Bees: Biology and Status as Pollinators
Honey Bees: Simplified Bee-keeping for Pollination
Honey Bees: Managing Honey Bees for Pollination
Bumble Bees
Alkali Bees
Other Soil Nesting Bees
Alfalfa Leafcutting Bees
Orchard Mason Bees
Carpenter Bees
Bees and Pesticides
Lucerne Seed
Almond
Apple
Asparagus Seed
Avocado
Bean (Lima)
Bean (Common, Green, Snap)
Beet Seed
Blackberry
Blueberry
Cabbage and Other Crucifer Seeds
Canola Seed ( Oilseed Rape)
Cantaloupe
Carrot Seed
Cherry (Sweet, Sour)
Clover Seed (Alsike)
Clover Seed (Crimson)
Clover Seed (Red)
Clover Seed (White, ‘Ladino’)
Clover Seed (Sweet Clovers)
Cotton
Cranberry
Cucumber
Kiwifruit
Onion Seed
Peach and Nectarine
Pear
Pepper (Bell, Green, Sweet)
Plum and Prune
Raspberry
Soybean
Squash, Pumpkin and Gourd
Strawberry
Sunflower Seed
Tomato
Watermelon
Priorities in Technology Development, Research and Education
Appendices