Honey Bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae) Visits and Pollen Source Effects on Fruiting of ‘Gulfcoast’ Southern Highbush Blueberry

Danka, Robert G.; Lang, Gregory A.; Gupton, C. L.

doi:10.1093/jee/86.1.131

Cited by 15 publications

(8 citation statements)

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“…Other factors, including plant water status, air temperature, carbohydrate reserves, and other cultural practices likely have influential roles (Retamales and Hancock, 2012). Increases in seed number have also been attributed to cross-pollination (Danka et al, 1993). Cultivar differences and blueberry type have also been noted to influence the response of fruit size to increased seed number (Eaton, 1967); therefore, care should be taken in comparing these relationships between cultivars and types of blueberry.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Increasing Honey Bee Hive Densities Promotes Pollination and Yield Components of Highbush Blueberry in Western Washington

Arrington

DeVetter

2018

horts

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Yield components including fruit set and berry size in northern highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum) can be limited in key production regions like western Washington. Climactic conditions influence the activity levels of blueberry’s primary commercial pollinator, honey bee (Apis mellifera). Cool springs with frequent rainfall, which are common during the spring bloom period in western Washington, can reduce honey bee activity, pollination efficiency, and subsequent fruit set and yields. Increasing honey bee hive density may be a simple technique that growers can employ to increase the number of honey bees foraging during periods of good weather, interspersed with the poor weather, and therefore, increase fruit set and related yield components. The objective of this study was to evaluate if increased honey bee hive densities improve pollination and subsequent yield components in western Washington blueberry. Three field sites with mature ‘Duke’ plants were stocked with 10 hives/ha of honey bees (control), and three other field sites (also ‘Duke’) were stocked with 20 hives/ha (high hive density). Honey bee visitation and yield components, including fruit set and berry weight, were measured. Estimated yield, seed number/berry, and fruit firmness were also monitored. There were no significant differences in fruit set regardless of honey bee hive density. However, honey bee visitation and estimated yield increased with increased honey bee hive density. Berry weight and seed number per berry were also increased with increased honey bee hive density, although firmness was unaffected. Results indicate that increasing honey bee hive densities can help blueberry growers improve berry size and overall yields, suggesting this is a practice growers can implement if their production is constrained by insufficient pollination.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Increasing Honey Bee Hive Densities Promotes Pollination and Yield Components of Highbush Blueberry in Western Washington

Arrington

DeVetter

2018

horts

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“…Fruits were removed when they reached commercial size. The method used followed Danka et al (1983) & Stanghellini et al (1997.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Honey bee as an effective pollinating agent of pumpkin

Nicodemo

Couto

Malheiros

et al. 2009

Sci. agric. (Piracicaba, Braz.)

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The production of fruits and seeds of many crops is increased when bees visit their flowers pollinating them. The aim of this research was to study the pollination of pumpkins (Cucurbita maxima Duch. var. Exposição), to determine the diversity of insects visiting its flowers, the time and type of provision obtained and the effect of the visits on fruit set, fruit size and weight, and number of seeds. Apis mellifera L. accounted for 73.4% of the visits made by bees, collecting pollen during 34.5 s per flower and nectar in 43.9 s and 29.3 s from female and male flowers, respectively. Trigona spinipes (Fabr.) collected only nectar, during a mean time of 60.5 s per flower, and represented 26.6% of the visits by bees. Diabrotica speciosa (Germ.) only fed on the petals of the flower. When no insect visits occurred, there was no production of fruits. In the flowers with free visitation by insects, fruit set was 40%. The higher the number of visits, up to 16, by A. mellifera to female flowers, the greater was the fruit set, fruit size and weight, and number of seeds. In flowers visited by insects from the onset of anthesis until 9 a.m., fruit set was 35%. After 9 a.m., there was no fruit set, demonstrating the important role of A. mellifera as a pollinating agent of pumpkin, since it was the only insect visiting up to 9 a.m.

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“…Blueberry flowers however do not make it easy for pollinators to gather pollen and nectar rewards. In fact, pollinator visitation and pollination efficiency, particularly of honeybees, can be limited by a blueberry's long narrow flowers and poricidal anthers (Brewer and Dobson, 1969;Danka et al, 1993;Eck, 1986;Lang and Danka, 1991). These and other floral traits of course will vary as blooms age to give bees access to a flower's reproductive organs at the most opportune time.…”

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confidence: 99%

Blueberry Floral Attributes and Their Effect on the Pollination Efficiency of an Oligolectic Bee, Osmia ribifloris Cockerell (Megachilidae: Apoidea)

Sampson¹,

Stringer²,

Marshall³

2013

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We evaluated relationships between floral traits of 23 genotypes of southern blueberries and indices of pollination efficiency (fruit set, fruit abortion, seed number, and berry size) for Osmia ribifloris Cockerell, a manageable solitary bee. Flower size in Vaccinium and presumably ovary size were proportional to berry size, except for the tiny blooms of one V. tenellum clone (NC7808), which produce large commercial-sized berries of ≈2 g. Longer-styled blueberry flowers visited by O. ribifloris produced the heaviest berries with the most seeds. Osmia ribifloris reliably pollinated ‘Climax’ and ‘Tifblue’ rabbiteye blueberries. However, the peculiarly misshapen blooms of ‘Premier’ rabbiteye blueberry receive less pollination from O. ribifloris and yield berries containing 25% fewer seeds. Fruit set for these misshapen ‘Premier’ flowers was equivalent to that of intact flowers indicating that this floral polymorphism would not greatly alter cultivar performance. For seven Vaccinium species, wild and cultivated alike, 80% to 100% of a plant’s fruit production depends on efficient cross-pollination by bees such as O. ribifloris.

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Honey Bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae) Visits and Pollen Source Effects on Fruiting of ‘Gulfcoast’ Southern Highbush Blueberry

Cited by 15 publications

References 0 publications

Increasing Honey Bee Hive Densities Promotes Pollination and Yield Components of Highbush Blueberry in Western Washington

Increasing Honey Bee Hive Densities Promotes Pollination and Yield Components of Highbush Blueberry in Western Washington

Honey bee as an effective pollinating agent of pumpkin

Blueberry Floral Attributes and Their Effect on the Pollination Efficiency of an Oligolectic Bee, Osmia ribifloris Cockerell (Megachilidae: Apoidea)

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