Journal article
Pollination Requirements of Almond (Prunus dulcis): Combining Laboratory and Field Experiments
Journal of economic entomology, Vol.111(3), pp.1006-1013
05/28/2018
DOI: 10.1093/jee/toy053
PMID: 29528431
Abstract
Almond (Prunus dulcis (Mill.) D. A. Webb; Rosales: Rosaceae) is a cash crop with an estimated global value of over seven billion U.S. dollars annually and commercial varieties are highly dependent on insect pollination. Therefore, the understanding of basic pollination requirements of the main varieties including pollination efficiency of honey bees (Apis mellifera, Linnaeus, Hymenoptera: Apidae) and wild pollinators is essential for almond production. We first conducted two lab experiments to examine the threshold number of pollen grains needed for successful pollination and to determine if varietal identity or diversity promotes fruit set and weight. Further, we examined stigma and ovules of flowers visited by Apis and non-Apis pollinators in the field to study the proportion of almond to non-almond pollen grains deposited, visitation time per flower visit, and tube set. Results indicate that the threshold for successful fertilization is around 60 pollen grains, but pollen can be from any compatible variety as neither pollen varietal identity nor diversity enhanced fruit set or weight. Andrena cerasifolii Cockerell (Hymenoptera: Andrenidae) was a more effective pollinator on a per single visit basis than Apis and syrphid flies. Nevertheless, Apis was more efficient than A. cerasifolii and syrphid flies as they spent less time on a flower during a single visit. Hence, planting with two compatible varieties and managing for both Apis and non-Apis pollinators is likely to be an optimal strategy for farmers to secure high and stable pollination success.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Pollination Requirements of Almond (Prunus dulcis): Combining Laboratory and Field Experiments
- Creators
- Yuki Henselek - Chair of Environmental Economics and Resource Management, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, GermanyElisabeth J Eilers - Department of Chemical Ecology, Bielefeld University, Universitätsstraße, Bielefeld, GermanyClaire Kremen - Environmental Sciences Policy and Management, University of California, Wellman Hall, Berkeley, CAStephen D Hendrix - Department of Biology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IAAlexandra-Maria Klein - Chair of Nature Conservation and Landscape Ecology, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Journal of economic entomology, Vol.111(3), pp.1006-1013
- DOI
- 10.1093/jee/toy053
- PMID
- 29528431
- NLM abbreviation
- J Econ Entomol
- ISSN
- 0022-0493
- eISSN
- 1938-291X
- Publisher
- England
- Grant note
- name: Germany Science Foundation, award: KL 1849/4-1
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 05/28/2018
- Academic Unit
- Biology
- Record Identifier
- 9983983671802771
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