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Published January 31 in Atlantic Farm Focus:

Syngenta Canada Inc. and мÓÆÂÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±Ö±²¥, together with the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, are partnering on an innovative research project to increase bee populations and blueberry yields in the Maritime Provinces.

Canada is the world's largest producer of wild blueberries and most are grown in Quebec and in the Atlantic provinces. They are important economically and are part of our cultural identity.

"An increase in the demand for blueberries has resulted in the expansion of blueberry operations. Bee populations have not, however, increased in tandem," Dr. Paul Hoekstra, stewardship manager with Syngenta Canada Inc., said in a news release on Thursday (Jan. 30).

Bees and blueberries are an important combination and over the past two years declines in blueberry yields have caused concerns.

"An inadequate supply of bees required to pollinate a healthy blueberry crop has been identified as an important problem," said Dr. Chris Cutler, an associate professor of agriculture at мÓÆÂÁùºÏ²Ê¿ª½±Ö±²¥, Faculty of Agriculture. "This research project hopes to address a couple of the factors that may be part of the problem - nesting habitat limitations and a lack of food resources."

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