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The role of bee diversity in pollination and fruit set of yellow passion fruit (Passiflora edulis forma flavicarpa, Passifloraceae) crop in Central Brazil

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Abstract

Pollination is an important ecosystem service, especially to self-sterile crops as passion fruit, which depends on the large solitary bee for fruit set. We estimated the species richness of pollinators of yellow passion fruit in Central Brazil and examined whether there was any association with crop yield. We recorded 27 bee species on passion fruit flowers in commercial orchards in the region, from 2004 to 2007. Some 17 species were classified as pollinators (12 as effective and 5 as occasional pollinators). Species richness and frequency of pollinators were positively correlated with reproductive efficacy. Hand pollination substantially increased average fruit set (from 23.3% to 69.8%). Our results indicated that, although native pollinators still maintain economically viable natural fruit set in the region, pollination can be sustained and even enhanced by promoting conservation and management of bee diversity.

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Acknowledgments

We thank to Fernando A. Silveira, Maria Cristina Gaglianone, Fernanda H. Nogueira-Ferreira, Estefane L. Siqueira, and Alice M.F.G. Vilhena who identified the bee species. Felipe W. Amorim, Clesnan Mendes-Rodrigues, Diana Salles Sampaio, Everton Tizo-Pedroso, Heraldo Vasconcelos and Katja Hogendoorn for valuable comments on the manuscript. Financial support came from PROBIO/Pollinator/Brazil Environment Ministry (Grant 0112-00/2005), and FAPEMIG—Research Support Foundation of Minas Gerais (Grant CRA-2037/05 and PDJ 0187/09).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia e Conservação de Recursos Naturais, Instituto de Biologia, Universidade Federal de Uberlândia, Rua Ceará, s/n, Umuarama, C.P. 593, 38400-902, Uberlândia, MG, Brazil

    Marcela Yamamoto, Cláudia Inês da Silva, Solange Cristina Augusto, Ana Angélica Almeida Barbosa & Paulo Eugênio Oliveira

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  1. Marcela Yamamoto
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  2. Cláudia Inês da Silva
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  3. Solange Cristina Augusto
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  4. Ana Angélica Almeida Barbosa
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Correspondence to Paulo Eugênio Oliveira.

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Manuscript editor: Marina Meixner

Le rôle de la diversité des abeilles dans la pollinisation et la fructification des fruits de la passion jaune ( Passiflora edulis forma flavicarpa , Passifloraceae) cultivés dans le centre du Brésil.

Cerrado / abeilles/pollinisateurs autochtones / richesse en espèces / Xylocopa

Die Rolle der Bienendiversität für Bestäubung und Fruchtansatz im Anbau der gelben Passionsfrucht ( Passiflora edulis forma flavicarpa , Passifloraceae) in Zentralbrasilien.

Cerrado / große Bienen/einheimische Bestäuber / Artenreichtum / Xylocopa

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Yamamoto, M., da Silva, C.I., Augusto, S.C. et al. The role of bee diversity in pollination and fruit set of yellow passion fruit (Passiflora edulis forma flavicarpa, Passifloraceae) crop in Central Brazil. Apidologie 43, 515–526 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13592-012-0120-6

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