Scientists have developed a breakthrough “superfood” for honeybees by engineering yeast to produce the essential nutrients normally found in pollen. In controlled trials, colonies fed this specially designed diet produced up to 15 times more young, showing a dramatic boost in reproduction and overall health. As climate change and modern agriculture reduce the availability of natural pollen, this innovation could offer a practical way to support struggling bee populations.

Using CRISPR-Cas9, scientists engineered a yeast to produce the nutrient feed. Farmers could have it in two years.

  • Washedupcynic@lemmy.caEnglish
    27·
    14 hours ago

    Key Native Nitrogen-Fixing Wildflowers:

    • Lupines (Lupinus spp.): Includes Texas Bluebonnet and various perennial species; they thrive in poor soil and are loved by pollinators.
    • Prairie Clover (Dalea spp.): Purple (Dalea purpurea) and White (Dalea candida) are drought-tolerant perennials that fix high levels of nitrogen.
    • False Indigo (Baptisia spp.): Sturdy perennials with showy, pea-like flower spikes (e.g., Blue False Indigo).
    • Partridge Pea (Chamaecrista fasciculata): An annual that grows rapidly, making it excellent for disturbed soils.
    • Wild Senna (Senna hebecarpa): A tall perennial that produces yellow flowers.
    • Canada Milkvetch (Astragalus canadensis): A hardy, native perennial.
    • Groundnut (Apios americana): A vine-like wildflower with edible tubers.

    https://edgeofthewoodsnursery.com/wp-content/uploads/Native-Plants-for-Nitrogen-Fixation.pdf

    Cheers

    • GreenBeard@lemmy.caEnglish
      20·
      14 hours ago

      Several of those are going to be perennial and end up competing with mono-culture crops the following year(s) (not that I’m trying to defend mono-culture crops, but that’s what they’re planting). It’s a good idea, but not necessarily as simple as you’re implying. Still it’s an idea that’s not without some merit. The biggest obstacle to adoption is no one is making a significant profit off of it, so it’s unlikely to see much uptake.

    • stray@pawb.socialEnglish
      2·
      9 hours ago

      I don’t mean to argue against flowers, but why specifically Pennsylvania? What about everywhere else?

    • Stalinwolf@lemmy.caEnglish
      4·
      11 hours ago

      Bees went fucking nuts for my lupine, even while living in an urban environment. Only problem was that the aphids did too. So many that it was revolting. I had to aggressively remove them every single day of the colonies would explode and destroy my lupine within a very short time. They’d suck it dry.