Fragrance addition improves visitation by honeybees and fruit quality in kiwifruit (Actinidia deliciosa)

MEROI ARCERITO; DEFEUDIS, L; MITTON G; FERNANDEZ NJ; SZAWARSKI N.; IGLESIAS A; GENDE L.B.,; DAMIANI N; EGUARAS M; MAGGI M

JOURNAL OF THE SCIENCE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURE

JOHN WILEY & SONS LTD

Lugar: LOndres; Año: 2021

0022-5142

Kiwifruit is an important horticultural crop all over the world and its development is important in Argentina. This dioecious crop has a short blooming period with nectarless flowers, and its fruit production depends on cross-pollination. Here, we tested whether kiwifruit quality increases by using honeybees exposed to female flowers treated with an artificial fragrance. The three experimental treatments were: A, sprinkled female flowers with 1:1 sugar syrup + Lavandula hybrida extract solution (a new attractant substance especially developed for this study named Lavandin Grosso); B, sprinkled female flowers with 1:1 water + sugar syrup (female flowers with additional sugar syrup reward); C (control; female flowers exposed to honeybees).