Addressing pollination deficits in orchard crops through habitat management for wild pollinators.

ABSTRACT: There is increasing evidence that farmers in many areas are achieving below maximum yields due to insufficient pollination. Practical and effective approaches are needed to maintain wild pollinator populations within agroecosystems so they can deliver critical pollination services that underpin crop production. We established nesting and wildflower habitat interventions in 24 UK apple orchards and measured effects on flower-visiting insects and the pollination they provide, exploring how this was affected by landscape context. We quantified the extent of pollination deficits and assessed whether the management of wild pollinators can reduce deficits and deliver improved outcomes for growers over 3 years. Wildflower interventions increased solitary bee numbers visiting apple flowers by over

SUBMITTER: Garratt MPD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10078601 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature