Journal of Ecology and Environment

The Ecological Society of Korea (한국생태학회)
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Assessment of stingless bee densification to improve pollination service: a case study in strawberry cultivation in field conditions

  • Priscila Silva Miranda (Department of Postgraduate Studies in Agronomy – Phytotechnics Concentration Area, UESB - Universidade Estadual do Sudoeste da Bahia) ;
  • Zilda Cristina Malheiros Lima (Department of Postgraduate Studies in Agronomy – Phytotechnics Concentration Area, UESB - Universidade Estadual do Sudoeste da Bahia) ;
  • Raquel Perez-Maluf (Department of Postgraduate Studies in Agronomy – Phytotechnics Concentration Area, UESB - Universidade Estadual do Sudoeste da Bahia) ;
  • Paulo Henrique Marques Monroe (Department of Postgraduate Studies in Agronomy – Phytotechnics Concentration Area, UESB - Universidade Estadual do Sudoeste da Bahia) ;
  • Aldenise Alves Moreira (Department of Postgraduate Studies in Agronomy – Phytotechnics Concentration Area, UESB - Universidade Estadual do Sudoeste da Bahia)
  • Received : 2024.01.29
  • Accepted : 2024.03.27
  • Published : 2024.06.30
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Abstract

Background: Pollination is an ecosystem service of utmost importance for agriculture. In this context, the study aimed to evaluate the pollination service of naturally occurring bees and after densification with colonies of stingless bees (Nannotrigona testceicornis and Tetragonisca angustula) in commercial strawberry plantation. The study was carried out in the four seasons of the year and under two experimental conditions: natural pollination (NP) and pollination under bee densification. The supply of flowers and bee density were estimated. For bee densification, four boxes of colonies of Iraí bees and four of Jataí bees were placed near the strawberry plantation. Five treatments were established for each condition, considering NP and pollination with bee densification on different days from flower anthesis, ranging from the 1st to the 5th day. Fruits were harvested, quantified, and submitted to evaluations to determine biometry, degree of deformity, and percentage of fertilized achenes. Results: There was a higher density in summer compared to other seasons in both conditions evaluated. The weight was greater (20.19 g) when fruits were pollinated on the first day after floral anthesis under pollination conditions with bee densification. It was observed that free pollination provided fruits with greater a greater of deformation of flowers on the fourth and fifth day after anthesis. However, when bee density became higher, the greatest degree of deformity was observed only in fifth-day fruits. The densification with stingless bees provided a 50% increase in the number of bees present on strawberry plants in summer and also a 15% increase in fruit weight and the occurrence of a lower degree of fruit deformity. Conclusions: Density with stingless bees provided a 50% increase in the number of bees present on strawberry plant in the summer, with an improvement in fruit quality and aggregate commercial value, providing a 15% increase in fruit weight and a lower degree of deformity under the conditions of densification of Iraí (N. testceicornis) and Jataí (T. angustula) bees. Under the evaluated conditions, the introduction of stingless bee boxes in the summer is recommended.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

We would like to thank the State University of Southwest Bahia, Campus Vitória da Conquista, for the structure available to carry out this study, the Graduate Program in Agronomy and the CAPES (Foundation Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel) for the support, and the Fundacao de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado da Bahia (FAPESB) for the financing and scholarship grant. The producer Sorlange for providing the site and commercial planting to carry out the research and Dr. Generosa Souza for the concession of bee colonies.

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