MSU Researchers Win $ 2 Million Grant to Study Blueberry Pollination

26/10/2020

Researchers from Michigan State University just received a 4-year, $ 2 million grant to study and improve the pollination of blueberries.

The grant is provided by the US Department of Agriculture The project is led by Spartan Professor Rufus Isaacs and includes experts from MSU, Oregon State University, Washington State University, and the University of Florida.

Agriculture is Michigan's second largest industry, and last year, our state produced more than $ 75 million worth of blueberries.

The project will cover a variety of topics, from wild native bees to economics, but the MSU portion will focus on honey bees. Isaacs says that the decline in the number of native pollinators has led to increased reliance on bee hives.

Researchers will develop new hive planting strategies to help blueberry growers maximize their pollination efforts while tackling issues like weather.