scholarly journals Use of a Managed Solitary Bee to Pollinate Almonds: Population Sustainability and Increased Fruit Set

Insects ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 56
Author(s):  
Jordi Bosch ◽  
Sergio Osorio-Canadas ◽  
Fabio Sgolastra ◽  
Narcís Vicens
Keyword(s):  
Fruit Set ◽  
Fruit Production ◽  
Small Population ◽  
Solitary Bee ◽  
Female Population ◽  
Visitation Rates ◽  
Population Sustainability ◽  
Effective Pollinator ◽  
Set Distance ◽  
Almond Orchard

Osmia spp. are excellent orchard pollinators but evidence that their populations can be sustained in orchard environments and their use results in increased fruit production is scarce. We released an Osmia cornuta population in an almond orchard and measured its population dynamics, as well as visitation rates and fruit set at increasing distances from the nesting stations. Honeybees were 10 times more abundant than O. cornuta. However, the best models relating fruit set and bee visitation included only O. cornuta visitation, which explained 41% and 40% of the initial and final fruit set. Distance from the nesting stations explained 27.7% and 22.1% of the variability in initial and final fruit set. Of the 198 females released, 99 (54.4%) established and produced an average of 9.15 cells. Female population growth was 1.28. By comparing our results with those of previous O. cornuta studies we identify two important populational bottlenecks (female establishment and male-biased progeny sex ratios). Our study demonstrates that even a small population of a highly effective pollinator may have a significant impact on fruit set. Our results are encouraging for the use of Osmia managed populations and for the implementation of measures to promote wild pollinators in agricultural environments.

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

HortScience ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 48 (2) ◽  
pp. 136-142 ◽  
Author(s):  
Blair J. Sampson ◽  
Stephen J. Stringer ◽  
Donna A. Marshall
Keyword(s):  
Fruit Set ◽  
Fruit Production ◽  
Flower Size ◽  
Floral Traits ◽  
Solitary Bee ◽  
Pollination Efficiency ◽  
Seed Number ◽  
Cross Pollination ◽  
Berry Size ◽  
Fruit Abortion

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.

The association between floral longevity and pollen removal, pollen receipt, and fruit production in flame azalea (Rhododendron calendulaceum)

2007 ◽  
Vol 85 (4) ◽  
pp. 414-419 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amy C. Blair ◽  
Lorne M. Wolfe
Keyword(s):  
Life Span ◽  
Fruit Set ◽  
Pollen Dispersal ◽  
Fruit Production ◽  
Solitary Bee ◽  
Female Function ◽  
Floral Longevity ◽  
Pollen Removal ◽  
Selection For ◽  
Pollen Receipt

Floral longevity is an important feature of a plant’s reproductive strategy. The goal of this study was to examine flower life span in the shrub flame azalea ( Rhododendron calendulaceum (Michx.) Torr.) to determine if it is fixed or plastic and to evaluate its association with pollen removal and receipt. Unmanipulated flowers remained open for ~10 days, while hand-pollinated flowers closed earlier (~7 days), indicating that these flowers are subject to pollination-induced senescence. In 2002, pollen removal was rapid (~70% of pollen was removed in the first 2 h of anthesis), while female function was a slower process (pollen accumulated on stigmas for up to 4 days). Fruit set was pollen limited, as 80% of hand-outcrossed flowers set fruit versus 35% of naturally pollinated flowers. This is likely the result of the pollen-collecting behavior of a common solitary bee, which did not contact stigmas. In sharp contrast, 2003 was a cooler and wetter spring, few flower visitors were observed, and virtually no pollen was removed from or deposited on stigmas after 48 h. These results suggest that the flower life span of flame azalea is a result of selection for increasing the probability of pollen receipt rather than pollen dispersal.

Reproductive Responses of Capsicum annuum to High Temperatures

HortScience ◽  
1998 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 543c-543
Author(s):  
Ami N. Erickson ◽  
Albert H. Markhart
Keyword(s):  
Capsicum Annuum ◽  
High Temperatures ◽  
Fruit Development ◽  
Flower Development ◽  
Fruit Set ◽  
Fruit Production ◽  
Yield Reduction ◽  
Bud Size ◽  
Growth Chambers ◽  
Constant Growth

Fruit yield reduction due to high temperatures has been widely observed in Solanaceous crops. Our past experiments have demonstrated that Capsicum annuum cultivars Ace and Bell Boy completely fail to produce fruit when grown at constant 33 °C. However, flowers are produced, continually. To determine which stages of flower development are sensitive to high temperatures, pepper buds, ranging in size from 1 mm to anthesis, were exposed to high temperatures for 6 hr, 48 hr, 5 days, or for the duration of the experiment. Fruit set for each bud size was determined. Exposure to high temperatures at anthesis and at the 2-mm size stage for 2 or more days significantly reduced fruit production. To determine whether inhibition of pollination, inhibition of fertilization, and/or injury to the female or male structures prevents fruit production at high temperatures, flowers from pepper cultivars Ace and Bell Boy were grown until flowers on the 8th or 9th node were 11 mm in length. Plants were divided between 25 °C and 33 °C constant growth chambers for 2 to 4 days until anthesis. At anthesis, flowers from both treatments were cross-pollinated in all combination, and crosses were equally divided between 33 or 25 °C growth chambers until fruit set or flowers abscised. All flower crosses resulted in 80% to 100% fruit set when post-pollination temperatures were 25 °C. However, post-pollination temperatures of 33 °C significantly reduced fruit production. Reduced fruit set by flowers exposed to high temperatures during anthesis and pollination is not a result of inviable pollen or ovule, but an inhibition of fertilization or initial fruit development.

scholarly journals Seasonal occurrence of the Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata (Wiedemann, 1824) (Diptera: Tephritidae) in southern Syria

2016 ◽  
Vol 85 (3) ◽  
pp. 311-323 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammed Mansour ◽  
Fater Mohamad
Keyword(s):  
Ceratitis Capitata ◽  
Fruit Fly ◽  
Fruit Trees ◽  
Fruit Production ◽  
Small Population ◽  
Mediterranean Fruit Fly ◽  
Diospyros Kaki ◽  
Population Fluctuations ◽  
Sampling Studies ◽  
The Mediterranean

Abstract Population fluctuations of the Mediterranean fruit fly (medfly), Ceratitis capitata, were investigated between 1999 and 2001 at several locations representing fruit production areas in the southern part of Syria (Damascus Ghota, Zabadani, Sargaiah, Rankus, Orneh and Ain Al-Arab). Medfly adults were monitored weekly all year around using Jackson traps baited with trimedlure dispensers. Larvae were also sampled in Damascus Ghota by collecting fruits from ripe or ripening fruit trees and recording the number of larvae emerged from these fruits. In addition, suspected overwintering refuges were sampled at weekly intervals during the three coldest months of the year (December – February) and the number of collected larvae was recorded. The results of trap catches and fruit sampling studies showed a similar pattern of occurrence of medfly populations in the study areas, particularly in Damascus Ghota, during the three years of the study. In Damascus Ghota, flies were caught continuously from early June to late December with some variability between years. Two distinct periods of high fly activity were observed: the first one occurred in August and the second in November with a much higher amplitude. In general, seasonal fluctuations in the pattern of occurrence were influenced by differences in temperature and abundance of preferred host fruits. Traps on fig Ficus carica and oriental persimmon Diospyros kaki trees caught the highest numbers of flies, and fruits collected from these trees showed the highest level of infestation, reaching 100% for fig fruit late in the season. Sampling fruits (in Damascus Ghota) from trees during the three coldest months of the year showed that a small population of medfly larvae was able to survive winter conditions in prickly pear Opuntia vulgaris fruit left on the trees. In the other areas of the study (Zabadani, Sargaiah, Rankus, Orneh and Ain Al-Arab), only a few flies were caught.

scholarly journals Carbohidratos y Floración en Hesperaloë funifera (Koch) Trel. (Samandoque)

2017 ◽  
pp. 67
Author(s):  
Steven P. Mclaughlin ◽  
Ryan R. Williams
Keyword(s):  
Fruit Set ◽  
Fruit Production ◽  
Hesperaloe Funifera

Several researchers have noted that flowering in Agavaceae requires substantial resources, but few studies have attempted to directly measure such resources. T his study addresses the hypothesis that fruit set in Hesperaloë funifera is limited by available carbohydrates. The accumulation of total non-structural carbohydrates (TNC) prior to flowering was measured, and total requirements for carbohydrate were estimated. Hesperaloë funifera was found to accumulate fructans, and roots were an important organ for storage of accumulated carbohydrates. Carbohydrates stored in the plant prior to flowering are sufficient to meet only about onethird of the carbohydrate needed to produce an average inflorescence with 1 % to 2% fruit set. All of the carbohydrate produced by photosynthesis from May through August is needed to support flowering and fruit production. Low percentage fruit set in Hesperaloë funifera is probably due to a deficiency of carbohydrate resources.

Pollination ecology of the dioecious tree Commiphora guillauminii in Madagascar

2004 ◽  
Vol 20 (3) ◽  
pp. 307-316 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nina Farwig ◽  
Emile F. Randrianirina ◽  
Friederike A. Voigt ◽  
Manfred Kraemer ◽  
Katrin Böhning-Gaese
Keyword(s):  
Plant Species ◽  
Fruit Set ◽  
Pollen Limitation ◽  
Bird Species ◽  
Pollination Ecology ◽  
Floral Display ◽  
Flower Visitation ◽  
Visitation Rates ◽  
Male Flowers ◽  
Female Flowers

In dioecious plant species differences in morphology and resources between female and male flowers can have consequences for flower visitation rates. Female flowers sometimes lack pollen and can be less attractive to pollinators than male flowers. We studied the pollination ecology of the dioecious tree Commiphora guillauminii in a dry deciduous forest in western Madagascar. We recorded floral display, visiting insect species and visitation rates for female and male trees. The results showed that female trees produce significantly larger but fewer flowers per inflorescence than male ones. Number of flowers per tree did not differ between the sexes. During 270 observation-hours we observed 17 insect and two bird species visiting the flowers. Mean visitation rates of male flowers were 6.1 times higher than those of female flowers (1.07 vs. 0.18 visitors per flower h−1). Visitation rates to female and male trees showed similar daily and seasonal patterns. Fruit set (2.9%) was low, which could have been caused by pollinator or pollen limitation. This study suggests that dioecy may pose a risk for fruit set and, potentially, reproductive success for plant species with depauperate pollinator faunas on islands such as Madagascar.

The importance of fruit set, fruit abortion, and pollination success in fruit production of teak (Tectona grandis)

2010 ◽  
Vol 40 (11) ◽  
pp. 2204-2214 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. R. Palupi ◽  
J. N. Owens ◽  
S. Sadjad ◽  
Sudarsono ◽  
D. D. Solihin
Keyword(s):  
Fruit Set ◽  
Pollen Viability ◽  
Pollen Grains ◽  
Tectona Grandis ◽  
Seed Orchard ◽  
Fruit Production ◽  
Time Of Day ◽  
Natural Forests ◽  
Pollination Success ◽  
Fruit Abortion

Teak ( Tectona grandis L.) is believed to have been introduced from India 400–500 years ago and there appear to be no old-growth natural forests. However, Indonesia has many teak plantation forests and 40%–50% of seeds for reforestation come from seed orchards and the remainder from plantations. In both, flower and fruit abortion results in low fruit set and thus seed production. We investigated flower and fruit development in a clonal seed orchard in East Java in 1999 and 2001 using cross- and open-pollinated trees. The rates of abortion using cross-pollinations showed a similar pattern but were lower than for open-pollinations. The highest rate of abortion in cross- and open-pollinations was during pollination and fertilization, ranging 11%–23% and 31%–32%/day, respectively, less during fruit initiation (5%–6% and 6%–8%/day) and the lowest was during fruit maturation (<0.5%/day). Cross-pollinations increased fruit production by 10-fold compared with open-pollinations. About 30% of flowers were pollinated with an average of five pollen grains per stigma in open-pollinations. Pollen viability varied among clones and time of day but was not affected by position of flowers in an inflorescence. We conclude that low pollination success and low pollen viability are major causes for low fruit production in teak and are related to insect pollinators.

scholarly journals Efficacy of N-phenylphtalamic acid in some Solanaceae species

2005 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
S. V. S. Chauhan ◽  
H. H. Singh ◽  
H. K. Gupta
Keyword(s):  
Lycopersicon Esculentum ◽  
Capsicum Annuum ◽  
Fruit Set ◽  
Solanum Melongena ◽  
Fruit Production ◽  
The Other ◽  
Vegetable Crops ◽  
Other Hand ◽  
Solanaceae Species

: N-phenylphthalamic acid — Cl4H1 1 NO3 (Nevirol 60 WP) was successfully used for enhancing yield in some important vegetable crops namely, tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum), chilli (Capsicum annuum) and brinjal (Solanum melongena) of Solanaceae. Aqueous sprays with 0.2% and 3.0% significantly enhanced fruit production in chilli and tomato respectively. On the other hand, various treatments in brinjal failed to enhance yield significantly. The increase in yield in both tomato and chilli is largely due to increase in the number of flowers and fruit-set percentage.

scholarly journals Comparing Pre- and Post-pollen Production Temperature Stress on Fruit Set and Fruit Production In Male-sterile And Male-fertile Tomatoes

HortScience ◽  
1997 ◽  
Vol 32 (3) ◽  
pp. 526C-526
Author(s):  
Mary M. Peet ◽  
Suguru Sato
Keyword(s):  
Temperature Stress ◽  
Fruit Set ◽  
Fruit Production ◽  
Fruit Yield ◽  
Effect Of Temperature ◽  
Pollen Production ◽  
Night Temperature ◽  
Male Sterile ◽  
Male And Female ◽  
Reproductive Tissues

Peet et al. (1997) demonstrated that in male-sterile tomato plants (Lycopersicon esculentum L. Mill cv. NC8288) (MSs) provided with pollen from male-fertile plants (MFs) grown at 24°C daily mean, percent fruit set, total number and weight of fruit, and relative seediness decreased linearly as mean daily temperature rose from 25 to 29°C. The primary parameter affecting these variables was mean temperature, with day temperature at a given night temperature, night temperature at a given day temperature, and day/night temperature differential having secondary or no effect. To compare the effect of temperature stress experienced only by the female tissues with that experienced by the male tissues or both male and female tissues, MSs and MFs were grown in 28/22°C, 30/24°C, and 32/26°C day/night temperature chambers. Fruit yield and seed number per fruit declined sharply when increased temperatures were experienced by both male and female tissues (MFs). There was no fruit set in any of the MSs assigned to the 32/26°C pollen treatment, mostly because of the limited amount of pollen available from MFs. Both fruit production and seed content per fruit were also greatly reduced in MSs receiving pollen from 30/24°C grown MFs for the same reason. For plants experiencing stress only on female tissues (MSs grown at high temperatures, but receiving pollen from MFs grown at the lowest temperature), there was also a linear decrease in fruit yield as growth temperatures increased, as previously seen by Peet et al. (1997), but the temperature effect was less pronounced than that on pollen production. Thus, for this system, temperature stress decreased yield much more drastically when experienced by male reproductive tissues than when experienced only by female reproductive tissues.

scholarly journals 587 Physiological Factors Limiting Tomato Fruitset at Moderately Elevated Temperatures

HortScience ◽  
2000 ◽  
Vol 35 (3) ◽  
pp. 497E-498
Author(s):  
M.M. Peet ◽  
S. Sato
Keyword(s):  
Heat Stress ◽  
High Temperature ◽  
Fruit Set ◽  
Elevated Temperatures ◽  
Linear Regression Analysis ◽  
Pollen Grains ◽  
Fruit Production ◽  
Cultivar Differences ◽  
Physiological Factors ◽  
Mild Heat

The effects of chronic, mild heat stress on fruit set, fruit production, release of pollen grains, photosynthesis, night respiration, and anther dehiscence were ex-amined in tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) differing in high temperature sensitivity. Plants were grown under three temperature regimes: 1) 28/22 or 26/22 °C (optimal temperature) 2) 32/26 °C (high temperature), and 3) 32/26 °C day/night temperatures relieved at 28/22 °C for 10 days before anthesis, then returned to 32/26 °C (relieving treatment). `FLA 7156' was the only cultivar with fruit set at 32/26 °C. All five cultivars, however, had fruit set in the relieving treatment (RT). The longer the relief, the higher was the percentage of fruit set. Longer periods of relief also increased the number of pollen grains released and linear regression analysis showed a significant relationship between the number of pollen grains released and the percentage of fruit set. Germination of pollen grains was also lowered in high-temperature-grown plants. The number of pollen grains produced, photosynthesis, and night respiration did not limit fruit set under chronic, mild heat stress, however. This suggested that cultivar differences in ability to release pollen and to produce viable pollen under heat stress are the most important factors determining their ability to set fruit.

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