Researchers Use eDNA Metabarcoding to Identify Pollinators, Aiming to Boost Crop Production

Dec 02, 2024

By Samuel Jeremic

A Curtin University study has revealed that a new method of capturing DNA could provide farmers with a valuable tool for boosting crop production—while also benefiting the environment.

Researchers from the School of Molecular and Life Sciences used an emerging scientific method known as "eDNA metabarcoding," to track which insects interacted with avocado flowers at two orchards in Western Australia. The study is published in the journal Ecological Indicators.

Led by Dr. Joshua Kestel and Associate Professor Paul Nevill, the team took bunches of flowers from avocado trees, which were then frozen and ground up before being taken through the DNA extraction process.

"We use eDNA metabarcoding to effectively amplify the DNA from whatever interacts with that flower and that lets us work out who was there," Dr. Kestel said.

"We are literally able to detect the footprints of a bee."

eDNA metabarcoding was found to detect five times the number of unique pest species than filming plants with digital cameras, which is another cutting-edge method currently used.

"Digital video recording is advanced, but eDNA metabarcoding is Star Trek level—we are talking about a different universe," he said.

Dr. Kestel said eDNA metabarcoding could help improve yields and make agricultural operations more efficient.

Many farmers hire honeybee hives at significant expense to encourage pollination and grow more fruit, however Dr. Kestel said native pollinators aren't currently part of the bigger picture and their role remains unknown for many types of trees and crops.

"Honeybees aren't big fans of avocado pollen and nectar: An avocado tree has about a million flowers, but less than 200 will be pollinated and mature into fruit," Dr. Kestel said.

"Using eDNA metabarcoding allows us to detect pollinators, pests, and—quite conveniently—predator species which can help protect crops by eating these pests."

Dr. Kestel said there was immense benefit to knowing which pests were occurring in a crop or orchard and where on the trees they were.

He said it would give farmers the option to introduce natural predators or, if they were to use pesticides, to use them more efficiently and in a more targeted way.

Click here to see more...

Video: From Conventional to Regenerative: Will Groeneveld’s Journey Back to the Land

"You realize you've got a pretty finite number of years to do this. If you ever want to try something new, you better do it."

That mindset helped Will Groeneveld take a bold turn on his Alberta grain farm. A lifelong farmer, Will had never heard of regenerative agriculture until 2018, when he attended a seminar by Kevin Elmy that shifted his worldview. What began as curiosity quickly turned into a deep exploration of how biology—not just chemistry—shapes the health of our soils, crops and ecosystems.

In this video, Will candidly reflects on his family’s farming history, how the operation evolved from a traditional mixed farm to grain-only, and how the desire to improve the land pushed him to invite livestock back into the rotation—without owning a single cow.

Today, through creative partnerships and a commitment to the five principles of regenerative agriculture, Will is reintroducing diversity, building soil health and extending living roots in the ground for as much of the year as possible. Whether it’s through intercropping, zero tillage (which he’s practiced since the 1980s) or managing forage for visiting cattle, Will’s approach is a testament to continuous learning and a willingness to challenge old norms.

Will is a participant in the Regenerative Agriculture Lab (RAL), a social innovation process bringing together producers, researchers, retailers and others to co-create a resilient regenerative agriculture system in Alberta. His story highlights both the potential and humility required to farm with nature, not against it.