Abd Al-Fattah, M., Elshenawy, I., Tharwat, E., El-Dereny, S. (2016). The Role of Honeybee Workers on Fruit Set and Their Characteristics in Some Plum Varieties. Journal of Plant Production, 7(6), 531-536. doi: 10.21608/jpp.2016.45473
M. A. Abd Al-Fattah; I. E. Elshenawy; E. E. Tharwat; Sarah H. El-Dereny. "The Role of Honeybee Workers on Fruit Set and Their Characteristics in Some Plum Varieties". Journal of Plant Production, 7, 6, 2016, 531-536. doi: 10.21608/jpp.2016.45473
Abd Al-Fattah, M., Elshenawy, I., Tharwat, E., El-Dereny, S. (2016). 'The Role of Honeybee Workers on Fruit Set and Their Characteristics in Some Plum Varieties', Journal of Plant Production, 7(6), pp. 531-536. doi: 10.21608/jpp.2016.45473
Abd Al-Fattah, M., Elshenawy, I., Tharwat, E., El-Dereny, S. The Role of Honeybee Workers on Fruit Set and Their Characteristics in Some Plum Varieties. Journal of Plant Production, 2016; 7(6): 531-536. doi: 10.21608/jpp.2016.45473
The Role of Honeybee Workers on Fruit Set and Their Characteristics in Some Plum Varieties
1Department of Economic Entomology & Pesticides, Faculty of Agriculture, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt.
2Department of Pomology, Faculty of Agriculture, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt
3Department of Beekeeping, Plant Protection Institute, Agriculture Research Center, Ministry of Agriculture, Giza, Egypt.
Abstract
The present study was carried out on three plum cultivars; Golden Japanese, Hollywood and Santarosa during two successive seasons 2012 and 2013 to study the influence of different pollination treatments on fruit set and fruit characteristics of the studied cultivars. Several sequential treatments were applied from 1 bee visit/ flower up to ten bee visits/ flower besides zero visit (self-pollination/ control) and open pollination treatments. The relationship between the foraging activity of honeybees in cross-pollinated flowers of plum cultivars and both fruit set and the main fruit characteristics were investigated. Bee foragers expressed significant benefit to plum cultivars on final fruit set as well as on fruit characteristics; length, diameter, T.S.S. %, fruit weight and volume and improved fruit quality through decreasing fruit firmness.Results of the present study showed direct improvements as a result of increased bee visits/ flower which were reflected on significant increase in fruit set when comparing self-pollination with open insect pollination. Results were 18.7%, 86.7%; 27.5%, 95.7%; 28.6%, 91.3% for season 2012 and 19.7%, 87.5; 26.9%, 96.0%; 26.1%, 94.7% for season 2013, for the three studied cvs., respectively.Moreover, fruit characteristics showed positive effects of increasing bee visits/ flower were expressed as significant improving in fruit weight which averaged 19.93 g, 27.10 g, 28.16 g for studied plum cvs., respectively, as a result of zero bee visit/ flower and continued its significant improving to reach 84.00 g, 95.75 g, 89.97 g for open bee visits/ flower in season 2012. Similar trend was observed for season 2013.Consequently, significant improvements in fruit volume, fruit length, diameter, T.S.S. % and firmness were recorded and presented. Thus, it can be recommended from results of the present study to maintain sufficient honey bee colonies in Golden Japanese, Hollywood and Santarosa plum orchards that offer at least ten bee visits/ flower to increase fruit set and to achieve satisfactory improvement in yield and fruit characteristics.
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