Artificial Pollination

Teaching Guide for Squabbles of the Soil Season 3 Topic: Artificial Pollination Host: KJ Mills Guests: Jim Murff, Lucas Holman Artificial pollination is the pollination of plants with no insects involved. With bees being our main pollinator in the US, the decline in bee population is terrifying because we will have the issue of finding new ways of pollinating crops on farms. There are several ideas that researchers are working on to come up with a solution. Drones spray pollen, bubbles that carry pollen, or foreign bees that could be domesticated and be stronger are all possible solutions, but which one would be the most practical? What is the most realistic? Objectives: I can define artificial pollination. I can explain 2 positive and 2 negative consequences of artificial pollination. I can consider both sides of the artificial pollination controversy. Pre-Viewing Questions: List 4 things you know about artificial pollination. What is your current opinion on artificial pollination? Why do you think artificial pollination is controversial? Guided Questions: What experience does Lucas have with artificial pollination? How does Lucas believe farmers would respond to using drones to pollinate their crops? Why is there an increasing problem with the bee population? In Murff’s opinion, what would be the best way to respond to the pollinator issue? Post-Listening Questions: Do you think artificial pollination will grow in the agricultural industry? Could artificial pollination take over the bee industry? Which guest did you side with more in this podcast? The comments shared on this podcast are not reflective of Middle Tennessee State University