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Crop & Food Research
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Media release, Katherine Trought, 25 October 2005
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Native flies may be important crop pollinators Native flies may be significant pollinators of crops, initial research on the role of native pollinators in New Zealand agriculture has shown. Over the last two summers Crop & Food Research entomologists Brad Howlett and Melanie Walker have spent many 14-hour days watching bees, flies and other pollinators in fields of onions and brassicas in Marlborough, Canterbury and Central Otago. While the research is in its early stages and no definite patterns have yet emerged, Dr Howlett says he has been surprised at a number of findings, including the numbers of native flies in onion and brassica crops. “The range of pollinators present in crops also varies widely, even on sites which are close together. “In Central Otago, for example, two onion fields just 17 km apart attracted completely different ranges of insects. In one site there was as many native pollinators are there were honey bees – and the honey bees are introduced into the area particularly to help with pollination of these crops.” In some areas there were more native flies, carrying similar pollen loads to honey bees. And the bigger, hairier, flies carry the most pollen, while the small, less hairy ones carry less than10 grains. In other areas the number of native bees was more significant. “The native bees can carry as much pollen as honey bees and so play a significant role in the pollination of these crops.” In New Zealand very little is known about the role of both introduced and native pollinators in transferring pollen in crops or in the native environment. Dr Howlett’s research is a government-funded programme to gain a greater understanding of the potential role of pollinators in moving pollen away from plants which have been genetically modified. “The government is investing in a range of research investigating the potential environmental impacts of genetically modified, or transgenic plants, if they were to be grown commercially,” Dr Howlett says. “In this research no transgenic plants are involved. But if we develop an understanding of the role of pollinators is in a field of traditionally bred onions or brassicas, then we can develop an understanding of what might happen to pollen movements in a transgenic crop.” Dr Howlett says a significant international concern is whether genetically modified genes, for example herbicide tolerance, can be transferred to weeds or non-crop plants via pollen. “But to evaluate the likelihood of the movement of transgenic genes via pollen away from genetically modified plants, we must first understand the mechanisms that cause pollen movement. That is what this research is all about.” Over the next three years Dr Howlett’s research will focus on whether his initial observations remain true over time. He will also try to determine how far pollen is moved away from the crops, and how effective the pollinators are. For more information please contact: Dr Brad Howlett Crop & Food Research Phone 03 325 6400 Email Brad Howlett |
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