pollination Articles
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Mutations perturbing petal cell shape and anthocyanin synthesis influence bumblebee perception of Antirrhinum majus flower colour
We wished to understand the effects on pollinator behaviour of single mutations in plant genes controlling flower appearance. To this end, we analysed snapdragon flowers (Antirrhinum majus), including the mixta and nivea mutants, in controlled laboratory conditions using psychophysical tests with bumblebees. The MIXTA locus controls petal epidermal cell shape, and thus the path that incident ...
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When is early generation selection effective in self-pollinated crops?
Despite widespread use of early generation testing and selection (EGT) in breeding for self-pollinated crops, its effectiveness remains largely an unresolved issue. This issue is tackled here using elaborated genetic models that enable genetic and nongenetic effects to be assessed for the effectiveness of EGT in terms of (i) the selection response at one or more early generations relative to the ...
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No impact of DvSnf7 RNA on honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) adults and larvae in dietary feeding tests
The honey bee, Apis mellifera L. is the most important managed pollinator species worldwide and plays a critical role in pollination of a diverse range of economically important crops. Due to this species' importance to agriculture and its historical use as a surrogate species for pollinators to evaluate the potential adverse effects for conventional, biological and microbial pesticides, as ...
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Risks of neonicotinoid insecticides to honeybees
The European honeybee, Apis mellifera, is an important pollinator of agricultural crops. Since 2006, when unexpectedly high colony losses were first reported, articles have proliferated in the popular press suggesting a range of possible causes and raising alarm over the general decline of bees. Suggested causes include pesticides, genetically modified crops, habitat fragmentation, and ...
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How to grow blueberries: Blueberry growing system in hydroponic greenhouse
In recent years, the demand for berries, and more specifically blueberries, has increased. This has led to an increase in surface area and cultivation techniques. Soil is no longer a problem thanks to the existence of optimal substrates for growing blueberries. Of all the berries, blueberries require the most consideration for greenhouse cultivation. We are going to see some of them, as well as ...
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Is genetically engineered technology a good alternative to pesticide use: the case of GE eggplant in India
Are pesticides used efficiently in eggplant cultivation? Is Genetically Engineered (GE) eggplant a good alternative to pesticide use? Building on the literature on damage control specification for production functions, we estimated the pesticide productivity for eggplant, using data from a farm-level survey conducted in Maharashtra, India. Even though the intensity of pesticide use by Open ...
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Insecticidal Proteins: A Promising Solution for Pest Control
Pests, such as insects, pose a significant threat to agriculture and public health. Traditional methods of pest control, such as chemical pesticides, have raised concerns about their impact on the environment and human health. In recent years, there has been a growing interest in the development of alternative pest control strategies, and one promising approach is the use of insecticidal ...
By Lifeasible
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Earth out of sync rising temperatures throwing off seasonal timing
A newly hatched chick waits with hungry mouth agape for a parent to deliver its first meal. A crocus peaks up through the snow. Rivers flow swiftly as ice breaks up and snows melt. Sleepy mammals emerge from hibernation, and early frog songs penetrate the night. Spring awakening has long provided fodder for poets, artists, and almanac writers. Even for a notoriously fickle time of sunshine, ...
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A New Generation of GMOs
Is synthetic biology on its way to our farms, markets and tables? Thousands of researchers will descend on Boston this fall for an event billed as the world’s largest gathering of synthetic biologists. The field is evolving so rapidly that even scientists working in it don’t agree on a definition, but at its core synthetic biology involves bringing engineering principles to ...
By Ensia
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The complex nature of GMOs calls for a new conversation
An honest discussion of genetically modified organisms must move beyond narrow concepts of human health to the wider social and environmental impacts of engineered crops. The GMO debate is one from which I’ve kept a purposeful distance. For one thing, it’s an issue that has already garnered more than its fair share of attention. For another, when you consider that many domesticated ...
By Ensia
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