Pollination of avocados, mangoes and litchis.
Toit A. P. du
Author Affiliation: Insect Ecology and Honeybee Research Division, Plant Protection Research Institute, Pretoria, South Africa.
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Abstract : The first year's results from an ongoing study of insect pollination in avocado, mango and Litchi orchards near Tzaneen in the Eastern Transvaal Lowveld are discussed. All insect visitors were identified, honey bee foraging activity was investigated and the effect of pollinators on fruit set was determined by bagging 400 inflorescences while leaving another 400 to be open-pollinated. In avocados, in which 81% of visits were made by honey bees, insect pollinators were important for increased fruit set (a total of 33 fruits were obtained from the 400 open-pollinated inflorescences, compared with only 2 from the bagged ones). In mangoes, fruit set was poor in both open-pollinated and bagged inflorescences, probably a result of using the first inflorescences which growers normally remove. Honey bees were observed collecting extra-floral nectar from the bases of mango panicles. In litchis, honey bees were the most abundant visitors and fruit set averaged 6/inflorescence in open-pollinated panicles, compared with 2/inflorescence in bagged panicles.