Appendix 1 New Zealand Horticultural Crops: Modes of pollination and value of honey bees.
| Crop | Modes of Pollination | Honeybees shown to increase crop yields? | Recommended hives/ha |
|---|---|---|---|
| Apples | Flowers bisexual; most cultivars partly self-sterile; must be cross-pollinated by insects | Yes | At least 2 |
| Kiwifruit | Male and female plants;.cross-pollination essential; fruit size related to pollination success | Yes | 8 |
| Grapes | Flowers bisexual; some cultivars partially or wholly self-sterile; complex pollination requirements | Yes | 1 |
| Avocado | Flowers bisexual; different timing for pollen release and stigma receptivity; insect and bird pollination reported | Yes | 5 |
| Grapefruit | Flowers bisexual; different timing for pollen release and stigma receptivity; insect pollination increases fruit set, but cross-pollination often considered unnecessary; seeds not desirable | No | 0 |
| Lemons | Flowers bisexual; self-pollination occurs without insects | No | 0 |
| Mandarins | Most cultivars self-sterile; some can produce fruit without fertilisation; fruit production increased with insect pollination; perhaps seeds not desirable? | Yes | 4? |
| Oranges | Flowers bisexual; self-pollination occurs without insects | No | 0 |
| Tangelos | ? | ? | ? |
| Persimmon | Male and female plants; some flowers bisexual; bees visit; some cultivars produce seedless fruit without fertilisation | No | 0 |
| Melons | Male and female flowers on same plant or bisexual flowers; insect pollination helpful | Yes (but most in NZ grown in glasshouses?) | 0.5-7.5 |
| Feijoa | Flowers bisexual; some self-fertile but need pollinator to transfer, others need cross-pollination | Yes | ? |
| Tamarillo | ? | ? | ? |
| Passionfruit | Most flowers bisexual but self-sterile; amount of pollen determines fruit size; insects essential | Yes | ? |
| Pears | Flowers bisexual; unattractive nectar; many cultivars self-sterile; many need pollenizer of a different cultivar; insects important | Yes | 1-5 |
| Nashi | ? same as pear? | ? | ? |
| Blackcurrants | Most flowers bisexual; self-fertile, but insects usually required to transfer pollen | Yes | 6 |
| Boysenberries and Raspberries | Bisexual flowers; automatic self-pollination can occur; insects can increase fruit set | Yes | 0.5-2 |
| Blueberries | Cross-pollination important for fruit set and fruit size | Yes | 10 |
| Strawberries | Flowers bisexual; fruit size depends on number of stigmas pollinated; cross-pollination occurs; insects important, but only bees transfer pollen effectively without injuring flower parts | Yes | 25+ |
| Apricots | Flowers bisexual; some cultivars have self-pollination, but cross-pollination beneficial; in others cross-pollination is essential; honeybees are main pollinators | Yes | 2.5 |
| Cherries | Flowers bisexual; cross-pollination improves yield | Yes | 2.5-3 |
| Nectarines | See peach | Yes | 1-2.5? |
| Peaches | Flowers bisexual; self-pollination often occurs; some cultivars require pollenizers and honeybees; bees beneficial even for self-fertile cultivars | Yes | 1-2.5 |
| Plums | Flowers bisexual; need for cross-pollination varies among cultivars; honeybees primary pollinators | Yes | 2.5 |
| Flower seeds | Depends on species, but most benefit from bees for cross-pollination | Depends on species | |
| Vegetable seeds | As for flower seeds - see below for some details | Depends on species | |
| Asparagus | Cross-pollination needed for seed production | Yes (for seeds) | 5 |
| Beans | Flowers bisexual; automatic self-pollination in French beans, but honeybees useful for runner beans | Yes (runner beans only) | ? |
| Cabbage, cauliflower | Most flowers self-sterile; bees useful for seed production | Yes (for seeds) | ? |
| Capsicums | Flowers bisexual; may be self-fertile; conflicting evidence about importance of insects | No | 0 |
| Carrots | Insect pollination essential for commercial seed production | Yes (for seeds) | ? |
| Curcubits | Cucumber - some flowers bisexual, male and female flowers on same plant; pollinators necessary for seed and fruit production | Yes | <10 |
| Garlic | Flowering rare; flowers sterile | No | 0 |
| Kumara | Most cultivars self-sterile; cross-pollination of compatible cutlivars needed for seed production; bees useful for this | Yes (for seeds) | ? |
| Lettuce | Flowers bisexual; mostly self-pollinating; male-sterile cultivars used in hybrid seed production require insect pollinators; info on bees lacking | ? | ? |
| Onions | Flowers bisexual; cross-pollination common; flowers not very attractive to bees; bees used in US for seed production | Yes (for seeds) | 12-36 |
| Peas | Self-fertile bisexual flowers automatically self-pollinated | No | 0 |
| Potatoes | Flowers bisexual; many cultivars produce non-functional pollen; no nectar, little pollen, but bees observed to visit and may cross-pollinate rarely | No | 0 |
Contact for Enquiries
Dr Sharon Adamson
Manager,
Innovation Policy
Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry
PO Box 2526
Wellington
NEW ZEALAND
Phone: +64 4 894 0618
Fax: +64 4 4 894 0741
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