Discovery of a new plant could result in the increased implementation of bee safe pesticides.

Bees are crucial for pollinating crops, but unfortunately, they are also harmed by the pesticides used on those plants. However, a new discovery may change that. Certain plant families, such as citrus and mahogany, produce organic chemicals called limonoids that protect the plants from pests without harming bees. One limonoid, azadirachtin, is already used in farming as a bee-friendly pesticide, but it is currently expensive and difficult to produce in large quantities. An international research project has mapped the genome of the Chinaberry plant, which is a member of the mahogany family, and identified the enzymes used to produce azadirone. By creating genetically engineered plants that produce large quantities of limonoids, it may soon be possible to produce a cheaper and more sustainable bee-friendly pesticide.