Managing flower-visiting insects is essential in <i>Castanea</i>: Enhance yield while ensuring quality.

ABSTRACT: The role of insects in the agriculture of plants that can rely on wind for successful pollination has been a mystery. We studied the contributions of wind-, insect-, and self-pollination in Castanea henryi (which can receive fruits relying on the wind). The fruit set under open pollination was significantly higher than other treatments. Insects contributed 40% of fruit by their indirect or direct pollination and did not decrease fruit quality. When the stigma was receptive, floral fragrance attracted numerous insects to visit male flowers and carry pollen; however, insects rarely visit female flowers and hardly transport pollen by contacting the stigma. The flower-visiting insects density was positively correlated with air pollen density. Therefore, insects, as facilitators of wind

SUBMITTER: Yuan B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11564049 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature