Orchard layout and plant traits influence fruit yield more strongly than pollinator behaviour and density in a dioecious crop.

ABSTRACT: Mutualistic plant-pollinator interactions are critical for the functioning of both non-managed and agricultural systems. Mathematical models of plant-pollinator interactions can help understand key determinants in pollination success. However, most previous models have not addressed pollinator behavior and plant biology combined. Information generated from such a model can inform optimal design of crop orchards and effective utilization of managed pollinators like western honey bees (Apis mellifera), and help generate hypotheses about the effects of management practices and cultivar selection. We expect that the number of honey bees per flower and male to female flower ratio will influence fruit yield. To test the relative importance of these effects, both singly and simultaneously, we uti

SUBMITTER: Peace A 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7584186 | biostudies-literature | 2020

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature