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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Logan, Utah » Pollinating Insect-Biology, Management, Systematics Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #345081
Title: Guide to integrated crop pollination

Author
item ULLMANN, KATHARINA - University Of California, Davis
item ISAACS, RUFUS - Michigan State University
item VAUGHAN, MACE - The Xerces Society
item MAY, EMILY - The Xerces Society
item ELLIS, JAMIE - University Of Florida
item WILLIAMS, NEAL - University Of California, Davis
item Pitts Singer, Theresa
item Boyle, Natalie
item Cane, James
item WARD, KIMORA - University Of California, Davis
item GIBBS, JASON - University Of Manitoba
item JOSHI, NEELENDRA - University Of Arkansas
item BIDDINGER, DAVID - Pennsylvania State University

Submitted to: Project ICP
Publication Type: Research Notes
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/5/2017
Publication Date: 8/14/2017
Citation: Ullmann, K., Isaacs, R., Vaughan, M., May, E., Ellis, J., Williams, N.M., Pitts-Singer, T., Boyle, N.K., Cane, J.H., Ward, K., Gibbs, J., Joshi, N., Biddinger, D. 2017. Guide to integrated crop pollination. In: Vento, J. editor. Integrated Crop Pollination Project. Portland, OR: Project ICP and the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation. p. 1-52. Available: http://icpbees.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/Guide_to_ICP_book-FINAL_August2017.pdf.

Interpretive Summary: Many of the fruits, nuts, vegetables and herb crops that provide us with important nutrients depend on animal pollination to produce marketable and profitable yields. These pollinators move pollen from the male parts of crop flowers to the female parts of crop flowers, pollinating crop flowers. Fertilized crop flowers create seeds that are sometimes surrounded by a fleshy, edible fruit. Growers of pollinator-dependant crops know that pollination enhances crop yield. However, efficient pollination can also improve crop quality. For example, pollination: •Improves almond nutritional value; •Increases canola oil content; •Increases mandarin orange sugar content; •Increases size and fruit set in blueberries, apples, and pears; •Improves strawberry fruit shape and shelf life; •Ensures marketable fruit shape for many crops, including apples, raspberries, blackberries, and summer squash. Most growers actively manage nutrients, water, pests, and diseases to achieve high yields, but without good pollination, the investment in land, plants, and crop protection can be wasted. This guide, focused on pollinator-dependent specialty crops, provides an overview of a new approach to optimizing pollination in agriculture called Integrated Crop Pollination (ICP).

Technical Abstract: Many of the fruits, nuts, vegetables and herb crops that provide us with important nutrients depend on animal pollination to produce marketable and profitable yields. These pollinators move pollen from the male parts of crop flowers to the female parts of crop flowers, pollinating crop flowers. Fertilized crop flowers create seeds that are sometimes surrounded by a fleshy, edible fruit. Growers of pollinator-dependant crops know that pollination enhances crop yield. However, efficient pollination can also improve crop quality. For example, pollination: •Improves almond nutritional value; •Increases canola oil content; •Increases mandarin orange sugar content; •Increases size and fruit set in blueberries, apples, and pears; •Improves strawberry fruit shape and shelf life; •Ensures marketable fruit shape for many crops, including apples, raspberries, blackberries, and summer squash. Most growers actively manage nutrients, water, pests, and diseases to achieve high yields, but without good pollination, the investment in land, plants, and crop protection can be wasted. This guide, focused on pollinator-dependent specialty crops, provides an overview of a new approach to optimizing pollination in agriculture called Integrated Crop Pollination (ICP).