<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><p>Understanding how bees use the resources provided by crops of massive flowering is essential to develop meaningful agricultural management of plans to maximize the potential of pollination service. We assessed the effect of the pollination carried out by native species <italic>Bombus pauloensis</italic> and <italic>Apis mellifera</italic> on the production and quality of blueberry fruits. In this context, we tested the prediction that pollinator assemblages benefit fruit yield. Four treatments were performed: open pollination, <italic>B. pauloensis</italic> pollination, <italic>A. mellifera</italic> pollination, and autogamy. For each treatment, the frequency of floral visitors, fruit setting, yield, and quality were evaluated. The results showed that <italic>Vaccinium corymbosum</italic> L. ‘Emerald’ is highly dependent on entomophilous pollination to obtain optimal production and high-quality fruit, and that pollination with <italic>A. mellifera</italic> generated the highest proportion of fruit setting (0.80 ± 0.03). The highest seed number was found in open pollinated fruits. This study highlights the effect of the interactions among wild and managed pollinators on the productivity of commercial blueberry fields, and is the first report of <italic>B. pauloensis</italic> use in blueberry pollination.</p></abstract>

Understanding how bees use the resources provided by crops of massive flowering is essential to develop meaningful agricultural management of plans to maximize the potential of pollination service. We assessed the effect of the pollination carried out by native species Bombus pauloensis and Apis mellifera on the production and quality of blueberry fruits. In this context, we tested the prediction that pollinator assemblages benefit fruit yield. Four treatments were performed: open pollination, B. pauloensis pollination, A. mellifera pollination, and autogamy. For each treatment, the frequency of floral visitors, fruit setting, yield, and quality were evaluated. The results showed that Vaccinium corymbosum L. ‘Emerald’ is highly dependent on entomophilous pollination to obtain optimal production and high-quality fruit, and that pollination with A. mellifera generated the highest proportion of fruit setting (0.80 ± 0.03). The highest seed number was found in open pollinated fruits. This study highlights the effect of the interactions among wild and managed pollinators on the productivity of commercial blueberry fields, and is the first report of B. pauloensis use in blueberry pollination.

Pollination Efficiency of Managed Bee Species (<italic>Apis mellifera</italic> and <italic>Bombus pauloensis</italic>) in Highbush Blueberry (<italic>Vaccinium corymbosum</italic>) Productivity

PROANVET-Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias

Universidad Nacional del Centro de la Provincia de Buenos Aires

Journal of Horticultural Research

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Pollination Efficiency of Managed Bee Species ( and ) in Highbush Blueberry () Productivity

Understanding how bees use the resources provided by crops of massive flowering is essential to develop meaningful agricultural management of plans to maximize...

Pollination Efficiency of Managed Bee Species (Apis mellifera and Bombus pauloensis) in Highbush Blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum) Productivity

Published Online: Jun 30, 2020

Page range: 57 - 64

Received: Sep 01, 2019

Accepted: Mar 01, 2020

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/johr-2020-0003

Keywords
blueberry, pollination, fruit quality,

© 2020 Pablo Cavigliasso et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Pollination Efficiency of Managed Bee Species (Apis mellifera and Bombus pauloensis) in Highbush Blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum) Productivity

Published Online: Jun 30, 2020

Page range: 57 - 64

Received: Sep 01, 2019

Accepted: Mar 01, 2020

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/johr-2020-0003

Keywordsblueberry, pollination, fruit quality,

© 2020 Pablo Cavigliasso et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 3.0 License.

Keywords
blueberry, pollination, fruit quality,