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Apple Pollination: Demand Depends on Variety and Supply Depends on Pollinator Identity
M P D Garratt1, T D Breeze1, V Boreux2
1Centre for Agri-Environmental Research, School of Agriculture, Policy and Development, University of Reading, Reading, United Kingdom.
Plos One
|May 7, 2016
Summary
Solitary bees and bumblebees are more effective apple pollinators than hoverflies, contributing significantly to the UK
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Agricultural Science
- Entomology
Background:
- Insect pollination is crucial for apple production.
- Understanding pollinator contributions across apple varieties is vital for effective orchard management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantify pollination services from four pollinator guilds to four apple varieties.
- To determine the economic benefits of different pollinators to UK apple production.
Main Methods:
- Pollinator effectiveness assays (floral visit effectiveness).
- Orchard field surveys (flower visitation rate).
- Pollinator exclusion experiments.
Main Results:
- Pollinator effectiveness varied, with hoverflies being less effective than solitary bees and bumblebees.
- Pollinator guild abundance differed across apple varieties.
- Insect pollinators contributed an estimated £92.1M to UK apple production.
Conclusions:
- Solitary bees, honeybees, and bumblebees provide substantial economic benefits to UK apple production.
- Hoverflies offer minimal economic benefit.
- This research informs pollination management strategies for entomophilous crops.
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