Examination of a Managed Pollinator Strategy for Almond Production Using Apis mellifera (Hymenoptera: Apidae) and Osmia lignaria (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae).
Theresa L. Pitts-Singer,Derek R. Artz,Stephen S. Peterson,Natalie K. Boyle,Gordon I. Wardell +4 more
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Almond orchard managerial decisions, such as for pesticide use and irrigation intensity, vary between almond growing regions because of local climates, and it is demonstrated that augmenting large commercial almond orchards with O. lignaria can significantly increase nut set and sometimes nut yield in both regions evaluated.Abstract:
Pollination services provided by managed bees are essential for California almond (Prunus dulcis Mill.; Rosales: Rosaceae) production. Currently, pollination needs are met by rented or owned Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae; honey bee) colonies. Excessive demand on a challenged A. mellifera industry to provide strong colonies in early spring has caused sharp increases in rental prices over the past decade, inviting the consideration of alternative pollinators in addition to, or in place of, A. mellifera. Osmia lignaria Say (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae; the blue orchard bee) is an excellent pollinator of fruit and nut trees, but its pollination impacts when used in tandem with A. mellifera have yet to be evaluated in commercial almond orchards. A 2-yr study was conducted in California orchards to compare almond pollination and production using A. mellifera as sole pollinator to an alternative practice of adding O. lignaria as a co-pollinator with A. mellifera. Almond orchard managerial decisions, such as for pesticide use and irrigation intensity, vary between almond growing regions because of local climates. Therefore, both north-central and southern sites of California's San Joaquin Valley are represented. We compared bee visitation, nut set, and nut yield between orchards and between tree rows within orchards. Also, O. lignaria reproductive success was recorded to assure that these bees remained in the orchards as pollinators and to assess the ability to sustain these bees under regional orchard conditions. We demonstrated that augmenting large commercial almond orchards with O. lignaria can significantly increase nut set and sometimes nut yield in both regions evaluated.read more
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Journal ArticleDOI
Crop production in the USA is frequently limited by a lack of pollinators.
James R. Reilly,Derek R. Artz,David J. Biddinger,K. Bobiwash,K. Bobiwash,Natalie K. Boyle,Natalie K. Boyle,Claire Brittain,Julia Brokaw,Joshua W. Campbell,Joshua W. Campbell,Jaret C. Daniels,Jaret C. Daniels,Elizabeth Elle,James D. Ellis,Shelby J. Fleischer,Jason Gibbs,R. L. Gillespie,K. B. Gundersen,Larry J. Gut,George D. Hoffman,Neelendra K. Joshi,Ola Lundin,Keith S. Mason,C. M. McGrady,Stephen S. Peterson,Theresa L. Pitts-Singer,Sujaya Rao,Nikki L. Rothwell,Logan Rowe,K L Ward,K L Ward,Neal M. Williams,Julianna K. Wilson,Rufus Isaacs,Rachael Winfree +35 more
TL;DR: It is found that pollinator declines could translate directly into decreased yields or production for most of the crops studied, and that wild species contribute substantially to pollination of most study crops in major crop-producing regions.
Journal ArticleDOI
Impact of Biotic and Abiotic Stressors on Managed and Feral Bees
Joseph Belsky,Neelendra K. Joshi +1 more
TL;DR: The global distribution of honey bee colonies and bumble bee colonies from crop to crop for pollination events has been linked with increased pathogen stress and increased competition with native bee species for limited resources.
Book ChapterDOI
Assessing the resilience of biodiversity-driven functions in agroecosystems under environmental change
TL;DR: In this paper, the resilience of biodiversity-driven functions in agroecosystems to drivers of environmental change (EC) is of critical importance to ensure long-term and environmentally safe agricultural production.
Journal ArticleDOI
Wildflower plantings promote blue orchard bee, Osmia lignaria (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae), reproduction in California almond orchards.
Natalie K. Boyle,Natalie K. Boyle,Derek R. Artz,Ola Lundin,Ola Lundin,Kimiora L. Ward,Devon Picklum,Gordon I. Wardell,Neal M. Williams,Theresa L. Pitts-Singer +9 more
TL;DR: This study highlights the importance of landscape context and proximity to supplementary floral resources in promoting the propagation of solitary bees as alternative managed pollinators in commercial agriculture.
Journal ArticleDOI
Assessing blue orchard bee (Osmia lignaria) propagation and pollination services in the presence of honey bees (Apis mellifera) in Utah tart cherries.
TL;DR: While flying O. lignaria in Utah tart cherries may support sustainable in-field bee propagation, their subsequent impacts on tart cherry yield were not detected when paired with standard stocking densities of honey bees.
References
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Importance of pollinators in changing landscapes for world crops
Alexandra-Maria Klein,Bernard E. Vaissière,James H. Cane,Ingolf Steffan-Dewenter,Saul A. Cunningham,Claire Kremen,Teja Tscharntke +6 more
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Journal ArticleDOI
Wild bees enhance honey bees’ pollination of hybrid sunflower
Sarah S. Greenleaf,Claire Kremen +1 more
TL;DR: It is found that behavioral interactions between wild and honey bees increase the pollination efficiency of honey bees on hybrid sunflower up to 5-fold, effectively doubling honey bee pollination services on the average field.
Journal ArticleDOI
Varroa mites and honey bee health: can Varroa explain part of the colony losses?
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