Pollination by non-Apis bees and potential benefits in self-pollinating crops

Authors: ESQUIVEL, ISAAC - Texas A&M Agrilife; Parys, Katherine; BREWER, MICHAEL - Texas A&M Agrilife

Submitted to: Annals of the Entomological Society of America
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/7/2020
Publication Date: 2/3/2021
Citation: Esquivel, I., Parys, K.A., Brewer, M.S. 2021. Pollination by non-Apis bees and potential benefits in self-pollinating crops. Annals of the Entomological Society of America. 114(2):257-266. https://doi.org/10.1093/aesa/saaa059.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/aesa/saaa059

Interpretive Summary: The diversity and abundance of native bees are important in providing pollination to a diverse array of agricultural crops. A lot of research and literature is available that covers the contributions of bees as crops pollinators. The majority of these studies are on honey bees in agricultural crops that depend on cross-pollination to produce a yield. There is increasing evidence that self-pollinating crops can also benefit from pollination. These crops, including cotton, soybeans, coffee, and canola can see considerable benefit when visited by bees in general, but there is contradictory evidence that is not fully understood. Some research and literature on non-honeybees bees in mass flowering and self-pollinating crops. Achieving efficient, ecologically friendly, and productive agricultural land use while conserving biodiversity is an important challenge to agricultural sustainability.

Technical Abstract: The diversity and abundance of native bees are important in providing pollination services to a diverse array of crops (Hymenoptera: Anthophila). A large literature base is available on the contributions of bees as crops pollinators. The focus of the majority of these studies are on honey bees (Apis spp.) pollinating crops that depend on cross-pollination to produce a yield. Autogamous crop species have the ability to self-pollinate but there is increasing evidence that they can benefit from insect-mediated cross pollination. Autogamous crops such as cotton, soybeans, coffee, and canola can see considerable benefit when visited by bees in general, but there is contradictory evidence that is not fully understood in some systems. For example, recent studies have shown that bee visitation to cotton blooms can increase yield up to 15% and including nesting habitat for non-Apis bees within soybean dominated landscapes increases in-field yields. Additional literature (both recent and historic) on non-Apis bees in mass flowering autogamous crops and the potential benefits to the crops also exists but is previously unsynthesized in cotton and soybeans in particular. Achieving efficient, ecologically friendly, and productive agricultural land use while conserving biodiversity is an important challenge to agricultural sustainability. By documenting the benefits of non-Apis bee pollination to autogamous crops, this can be used to consider a scenario of joining sustainability efforts for crop production with conservation efforts for non-Apis bees. The growing literature base of non-Apis bee pollinators in autogamous crops supports an agricultural sustainability approach that incorporates benefits from non-Apis bee pollination.