Bridging the gap between pollination-related floral traits and fruit production in Asian pears

Insect pollination is critical for fruit production, particularly for pears, most of which have high self-incompatibility and are less preferred by pollinators than other fruit trees. Research has focused on fruit traits, and less is known about how floral traits may influence pollination and fruit production. Hypothesising that pollination-related traits differ between Asian and European pears, which exhibit large variation in pollination and distinct domestication processes, we conducted a systematic review of pear pollination studies published globally from 1922 to 2025. Research on pollination has increased rapidly over the last 25 years. Compared to European pears, we found that Asian pears are more pollinator-dependent and exhibit different floral traits: lower nectar sugar concentration and lower relative content of attractive floral scents, but higher pollen production and a higher relative content of N-containing floral scents. Although Asian pear flowers attract a similar number of insect pollinator taxa as European pears, current Asian pear production still relies mainly on artificial pollination. Moreover, various artificial pollination techniques and pollination management practices, including introducing indigenous Asian honey bees, which outperformed in collecting pear pollen, had uncertain effects on pollination and fruit production, as less attention was paid to understanding the nature of plant-pollinator interactions. Further studies are needed to investigate how the domestication process and the co-adaptations of Asian honey bees influence the pollination-related floral traits of pears. This may provide valuable insights into enhancing floral attractiveness, improving pollination efficiency, and increasing fruit production in monoculture Asian pears.