Assessing the effectiveness of honey bee pollinators for cultivated blueberries in South Africa

Agricultural crops are often dependent on insect pollination for commercially viable yields. Blueberries an example of such a crop and owing to their proposed health benefits they grown around the world, including locations where native bumble bee pollinators do not occur. In absence bees, blueberry in South Africa many other parts non-native, commercial range is performed primarily by honey bees. Despite this, effectiveness blueberries remains understudied. This study determined effect components fruit yield (fruit set mass) five varieties that extensively planted Africa. For each variety, two metrics were calculated: 1) benefit bees — comparison yields after exposure exclusion, 2) deficit difference between hand (maximum potential) pollinators. Honey consistently resulted improved yields, although magnitude this improvement (i.e., bees) was variety considered. Similarly, also varied considerably across while some appeared perform close maximum potential (small deficit), others yielded well below under pollination. demonstrates functional areas absent. However, areas, it important special focus given selecting with as primary pollinator. Further research necessary determine how can be decreased increase