Pollinators of Oriental persimmon in Japan

Abstract Japanese farmers who grow Oriental persimmon, Diospyros kaki Thunb. (Ericales: Ebenaceae), occasionally introduce Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae) hives into their orchards during the flowering season, mainly because cultivars such as ‘Fuyu’ require pollination for stable fruit set. However, wild pollinators might serve this function. Thus, we aimed at identifying most important of D. in Japan by surveying visitation frequency across ten prefectures and efficiency. The predominant flower visitors were Bombus ardens ​ardens Smith A. , with similar efficiencies. estimated threshold number pollen grains set was 27, which comparable to deposited a single visit either species, meaning one these dominant probably induces more multiple visits further ensured To achieve > 80% set, than about 70 needed. These results indicate that several bees would be sufficient ‘Fuyu’.