Abstract
Pollination is limiting for avocado production. We examined whether adding bumblebees (BBs; ca. 10 hives/ha) to conventional honeybees (HB; 5 hives/ha) would improve 'Hass' avocado pollination and yields. A preliminary trial (2017/18) in an avocado orchard with four consecutive rows of 'Hass' followed by one row of 'Ettinger' serving as a pollenizer (20% 'Ettinger') showed a considerable increase in 'Hass' yield in rows adjacent to (up to 80 m from) the BB hives vs. distant rows (=controls). In 2018/19, the trials were extended to three additional orchards. A significant yield increase was obtained in the BB hive-adjacent trees compared to BB hive-distant ones. Similar results were obtained in 2019/20, in experiments conducted throughout the country. The SNP analysis, to determine the parents of 'Hass' fruit at varying distances from the BB hives, showed no differences in the cross-pollination rate ('Hass' × 'Ettinger'). However, pollination rates and the number of germinating pollen grains per stigma decreased with distance from the hives, and correlated to the negative gradient in yield. Taken together, our data suggest that adding BB hives to 'Hass' avocado orchards, at ca. 10 hives/ha resulting in 0.5-1.0 BB visits/tree per min, increases pollination and, accordingly, total yield.
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Claims 8
Claim · model-written summary
In 2017/18 Hass yield was higher near bumblebee hives than in distant rows.
Verbatim
e0“A preliminary trial (2017/18) in an avocado orchard with four consecutive rows of 'Hass' followed by one row of 'Ettinger' serving as a pollenizer (20% 'Ettinger') showed a considerable increase in 'Hass' yield in rows adjacent to (up to 80 m from) the BB hives vs. distant rows (=controls)”
Claim · model-written summary
In 2018/19 yield was significantly higher near bumblebee hives.
- Taxon
- Avocado
Persea americanat0 - Treatment
- BB hive-adjacent treese0
- Interactor
- BBe0pollinator
- Outcome
- yielde0
- Direction
- increasee0
- Comparator
- BB hive-distant onese0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“A significant yield increase was obtained in the BB hive-adjacent trees compared to BB hive-distant ones”
t0“Avocado”
Claim · model-written summary
The 2019/20 experiments obtained similar yield results.
- Taxon
- AvocadoPersea americanat0
- Outcome
- Similar resultse0
- Setting
- throughout the countrye0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Similar results were obtained in 2019/20, in experiments conducted throughout the country”
t0“Avocado”
Claim · model-written summary
SNP analysis found no difference in Hass × Ettinger cross-pollination rate by hive distance.
Verbatim
e0“The SNP analysis, to determine the parents of 'Hass' fruit at varying distances from the BB hives, showed no differences in the cross-pollination rate ('Hass' × 'Ettinger')”
Claim · model-written summary
Pollination rate decreased with distance from hives.
- Taxon
- AvocadoPersea americanat0
- Outcome
- pollination ratese0
- Direction
- decreasede0
- Setting
- distance from the hivese0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“pollination rates and the number of germinating pollen grains per stigma decreased with distance from the hives”
t0“Avocado”
Claim · model-written summary
Germinating pollen grains per stigma decreased with distance from hives.
- Taxon
- AvocadoPersea americanat0
- Outcome
- number of germinating pollen grains per stigmae0
- Direction
- decreasede0
- Setting
- distance from the hivese0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“pollination rates and the number of germinating pollen grains per stigma decreased with distance from the hives”
t0“Avocado”
Claim · model-written summary
Pollination decline correlated with the negative yield gradient.
- Taxon
- AvocadoPersea americanat0
- Outcome
- negative gradient in yielde0
- Setting
- distance from the hivese0
Not reportedDirection
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“pollination rates and the number of germinating pollen grains per stigma decreased with distance from the hives, and correlated to the negative gradient in yield”
t0“Avocado”
Claim · model-written summary
The authors conclude adding BB hives increases avocado pollination and yield.
- Taxon
- avocadoPersea americanae0
- Interactor
- BBe0pollinator
- Outcome
- adding BB hivese0
- Value
- ca. 10 hives/hae0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“adding BB hives to 'Hass' avocado orchards, at ca. 10 hives/ha resulting in 0.5-1.0 BB visits/tree per min, increases pollination and, accordingly, total yield”