Basic research conducted in the laboratory of Prof. Abraham Hefetz at TAU's new Terry and Lawrence Bessner Building for Zoological Research, the I. Meier Segals Garden for Zoological Research, has led to the development of a new technique for increasing the yields of hybrid crops and seeds. A custom beehive for a tomato greenhouse. The problem began in Israel about 10-12 years ago, when tomato and eggplant growers moved their operations from open fields to greenhouses. Physical access to the crops by their natural pollinators was blocked. Farmers have since been forced to pollinate these crops by hand, which is costly and time-consuming.
Bumblebees bring tomato pollen to their larvae in the hive.
When that happens, the Israeli hybrid seed industry will see millions of dollars in profits. Prof. Hefetz points out that other crops such as avocado, peppers, and berries could potentially benefit from the new technology.