The Buzz: Macadamia and cross pollination – does it really increase production?
Most growers are aware of a large body of work done on the importance of cross pollination for high yields in macadamia, but are unsure on whether it really improves production. How is cross pollination achieved? Cross pollination requires pollen to be moved between different varieties which may be many metres apart. Insects are the […]
Beekeeping and the Challenges that Face the Industry: Part Two
By Inge Lotter 15 October 2020 The Effect of Pesticide and Fungicide Application on Apis mellifera (honey bees) In the previous article we looked at one of the challenges that face beekeepers in South Africa which is theft and vandalism of their bee hives. The second and very serious challenge that beekeepers face is directly […]
Beekeeping and the challenges that face the industry
Part One: The plight of the honeybee is a global concern. The agricultural sector is heavily reliant on bee pollination (some industries more so than others), impacting on crop quantity and quality i.e Blueberries that have virtually unmarketably small fruit without adequate pollination. As the sector expands to meet market demands (both national and global), […]