Analysis of highbush blueberry (Vaccinium corymbosum) crop pollination

Abstract

Crop pollination has been conventionally managed based in one or two pollinator species.
From an agroecological perspective, crop pollination management should integrate variables
from the landscape, local diversity and horticultural practices. In this work the effect of organic
vs. conventional management in pollinator abundances is evaluated, and also the use of managed
pollinators. The abundance of pollinators was measured in 8 blueberry farms and in one
of them the effect of pollination in crop yield was also evaluated. No differences in pollinator
abundance was found between organic and conventional management. The use of managed
pollinators seems unnecessary at least in some cases, since no pollination deficit was found
in the evaluated farm, which was not supplied with commercial colonies of honeybees or bumblebees.
The results of this work contribute to the understanding of a wider perspective of crop
pollination management.