Bee activity may help soybean pod set

摘要

SELF-POLLINATING crops like soybeans might seem immune to worldwide concerns about the viability and supply of insect pollinators. However, pollinators can have an effect on bean yields, and soybean growers may have good reason to give more thought tobees. The interaction between plants and pollinators is complex, according to bee experts, and involves more than simply moving pollen. Several studies have produced evidence that even self-pollinating crops like cotton and soybeans may yield better when bees work the flowers.