Summary

The main objective is to improve the pollination of cranberry flowers and thus increase yield.

In 1999 cranberry pollination was found to be inadequate. We determined this by sampling cranberry flowers and counting pollen grains on the stigma of these flowers.

In 2000 and 2001 pollination levels were again found to be inadequate.

This information has driven the ongoing research on cranberry pollination. More specifically the aim of the research is to find ways to economically improve the pollination situation for cranberry growers.

The second major finding was that pollen foragers, rather than nectar foragers, were the major cranberry pollinator. Because it is costly to alter the content of honey bee colonies to encourage pollen foragers, this route is not economically feasible.

Thus, strategies were examined to see if honey bee colony location could be optimized.

In 2001 pollen samples were collected at different distances from honey bee colony locations.

Findings in 2001 indicate that the location of honey bee colonies is less critical than previously thought. It is thought that bees spread out over an area of several fields in search for a richer nectar source.

Research in 2001 and 2002 indicate that the majority of cranberry fields require more honey bees than 1 colony per acre to pollinate all cranberry flowers.

More research in 2003 will be completed to examine this question in more detail.

Research between 1999-2001 was equally funded by the BCCranberry Association and Investment Agriculture of BC. Research for 2002 and 2003 are being funded by the BC Cranberry Association and Oceanspray Inc.

Our sincere thanks to the growers who have permitted us to use their fields for this research.

 

 

 

 

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