Contribution of bees to apple fruit production

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The apple is one of the most popular and widely consumed fruits around the world. Its unique flavor, crunchy texture and nutritional value make it a healthy and delicious choice. What not everyone knows is that pollinators play a vital role in the quality and quantity of production of this much-loved fruit.

Apple is one of these crops that benefits from the action of bees in cross-pollination, since apple flowers are self-incompatible. Therefore, for fruit production to be viable, it is important to use apple tree cultivars called “pollinators”, which provide pollen in abundance and, thus, guarantee the presence of agents that will transfer these pollen grains, flower fertilization and apple production.

Additionally, cross-pollination (which occurs when pollen from one apple variety is transferred to another) results in better quality fruit. The presence of different genotypes increases genetic diversity, which contributes to disease resistance, improved flavor and texture characteristics.

There is a huge diversity of bees that provide pollination services for apple crops, including some solitary bees and ground-nesting bees such as the Soil Bumblebee (genus Bombus). However, the bees Apis mellifera (honey bee) and Melipona quadrifasciata (mandaçaia) are considered to have the greatest potential for culture in Brazil, as they occur in the main producing regions and, in addition, they have anatomical characteristics that provide more efficiency to the collection of honey. pollen.

The effectiveness of different bee species as pollinators varies according to the apple cultivar, due to variations in flower morphology. The majority of orchard farmers in the southern region of the country use the commercial pollination service with Apis melifera, to increase productivity and above all the quality of the fruits.

Studies on the action of bees in the environment also highlight the extraordinary contribution of these insects to the preservation and maintenance of the genetic variability of plant species. The great contribution of bees to apple cultivation – and practically all other agricultural crops – highlights the importance of adopting friendly practices to maintain populations of these insects around orchards, such as:

• Preservation of plant diversity so that there is a presence of flowers throughout;

• Maintenance of decomposing logs (for nesting solitary bees);

• Soil conservation practices (for bees that build nests in the ground);

• Avoid the application of pesticides during periods of pollinator activity and always follow the recommendations in the agronomic recipe and product leaflet, following good application technology practices recommended to avoid drift.

For all these reasons, it is very important to maintain communication between farmers and beekeepers for the most appropriate management of the hives. To provide information and knowledge to producers and professionals in the field, Ihara provides a manual on pollination in different crops. To find out more, download the free e-book and learn more about the Conviver Ihara project (here).

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