Abejorros nativos de México como polinizadores manejados (original) (raw)

2014

Abstract

The use of managed pollinators ?both, marketed and mass produced- is a common practice in today's agriculture. Mexico has a high diversity of cultivated plants, 85% of these crops depend on pollinators for efficient production. The selection and effectiveness of one Mexican bumblebee as a managed pollinator in tomato (Solanum lycospersicum Mill), is evaluated on this work. A review of commercially available bee species in Mexico as managed pollinators was done, analyzing in particular: 1) commercial availability, 2) where crops are used, 3) prospects for sustainable use and conservation. Also, the foraging effort and efficiency of pollination of two bumble bees species were experimentally evaluated in a commercial greenhouse tomato. The compared species were: Bombus impatiens Cresson, native from northeastern North America, commercially available for pollination in Mexico and Bombus ephippiatus Say, native from Mexico to Central America. Despite the importance of managed pollinators, there are only two Apoideae pollinator?s species commercially available in Mexico: the honeybee Apis mellifera L. and the bumblebee B. impatiens. Both species presented similar pollination efficiency. Fruit quality variables such as fresh weight, number of seeds, and maximum diameter were not significantly different. There was no increased activity of B. ephippiatus during periods of elevated temperatures in the greenhouse. Both species reached nearly 100% pollination rates through the evaluation period. This study establishes that B. ephippiatus is an efficient pollinator for greenhouse tomatoes, comparable to the efficiency of B. impatiens; thus B. ephippiatus is considered with potential for use as managed pollinator. However, methods of mass rearing of this species are not available yet and still needed to ensure nest quality and health, as well as to reduce the potential of unregulated collection of this species.

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