Insect Pollination in Horticultural Crops

Abstract

AbstractPollination is one such crucial ecosystem service that helps to sustain the biodiversity and also to meet the global food demand. Majority of horticultural crops including fruit, vegetable, and plantation crops and some spices are cross-pollinated. Insects play a major role in fruit and seed production of these crops. Honey bees are critically important for crop pollination worldwide, as it is assumed to contribute 80% of insect pollination. Pollinating insects improve the yields of around three-quarters of crops. Major insect pollinators include the honey bees viz., Apis cerana, A. florea, A. dorsata, A. andreniformis, A. laboriosa, and A. mellifera. In addition, several other pollinators including stingless bees, carpenter bees, bumble bees, megachilids, halictids, sphecids, andrenids, syrphids, etc. occur in several agro-ecosystems. The total economic value of crop pollination worldwide has been estimated at €156 billion annually. The role of insect pollination in fruit crops (mango, guava, litchi, citrus, custard apple, passion fruit, apple, pear, peach, blueberry, strawberry besides aonla, avocado, jackfruit, macadamia, rambutan, and papaya), vegetable crops (cucurbits include cucumber, bottle gourd, bitter gourd, water melon, ridge gourd, gherkin, pumpkin), plantation crops (coconut, cashew, coffee), and spices (cardamom, coriander, fennel, cumin, nigella) is discussed. Pollination of protected cultivated crops tomato, capsicum, eggplant, and cucurbits is also briefed.