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| Bees, a victim of chemical pesticides, may provide the best solution to their use. Image: Brian Wolfe via Flickr CC |
A growing desire to end the use of chemical pesticides is
causing farmers to look for new creative solutions to preserve crop
yields. In a perfect ecological
solution, one of the biggest victims of chemical pesticides may be just the
thing.
Strawberry farmers in the United Kingdom are using a special
system
that deploys bees loaded with fungus spores to deposit onto the berry
flowers while they pollinate. The fungus
spores outcompete with the blight known as grey mold, a condition that makes
the strawberries mushy and unsellable.
The fungus is native to the United Kingdom and is nontoxic to plants,
animals and people.
The system was developed by a Belgian company and is
currently being field tested in a project backed by the office of the
Department for Environment. While the
fungus is sometimes used in spray form, the use of bees is new and if effective
will be more efficient. A spray can only
affect flowers that are currently open, while bees will visit each blossom at
the prime time for application, as well as help to pollinate the crop.
Meanwhile, other projects to control pests naturally are
also in trials. The trials are coming
in the wake of heavy losses in the wet year of 2012. The Department for Environment hopes that
natural solutions will solve crop loss issues more efficiently and
sustainably. It may also help dwindling
bee populations, as farmers will be more motivated to raise bees if they are
also a fungicide. The bee system, known
as “flying doctors,” will also be used on cherry orchards and raspberry
plants. The UK relies heavily
economically on the fruit industry and is welcoming to any crop protection
available.
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