Pollination Biology#
1 . What is the relationship between the honey bee and flowering plants?
The plant provides the honey bee with nectar as a primary source of carbohydrate and pollen (amino acids and minerals) and the bee assists the flowering plant in transferring pollen from the male (anther) to the female part of the plant (ovary)- both benefit.
2 . What is the transfer of pollen from male to female sex organs called?
Pollination.
3 . Define pollination.
Sexual reproduction wherein compatible pollen from the flower’s anther (male part) moves to a receptive stigma (female part). Once the pollen has adhered to the stigma, it germinates and produces a pollen tube that grows down through the style and into the ovary. Inside the flower ovary, the nucleus of the pollen grain unites with the nucleus of the ovule and fertilization occurs. Following fertilization, seeds and fruit are developed.
4 . How do some flowers help bees in their search for pollen and nectar?
Honey bees perceive color differently from humans. They see ultraviolet (UV) light and are attracted to the color yellow, blue, and purple. They do not see red. Flowers therefore attract bees with “landing lights” in the form of bright, ultra violet colors. They may also have features such as “nectar guides” which are lines, spots or bull’s eye patterns to guide bees to the nectar source. Flower structure helps bees by providing landing platforms which may also help guide the pollinator to the source of nectar and pollen. And finally, flowers emit pleasant odors and aromas helping bees locate nectar sources at a distance.
5 . Describe what is meant by self-pollinated flowers.
Self-pollinated - pollen comes from the same flower or same plant or plants of identical genetic material, they are self-compatible.
6 . Define what is meant by cross-pollination.
Pollen transferred from one flower to another.
7 . What is a pistillate flower? A staminate flower?
Pistillate flower – is when the male pollen producing anthers area (stamen) is absent, but the female part (pistil) functions normally
Staminate flower is when the female portion (the pistil) is absent, altered or non-functional, but anthers still produce pollen.
8 . What is the difference between a monoecious plant and a dioecious plant?
In plant reproduction, monoecious refers to plants having both male and female reproductive structures (flowers) on the same individual plant, while dioecious refers to plants having male and female reproductive structures on separate individual plants. An example of a dioecious plant is a holly, where there are both male and female plants. Some trees only produce pollen flowers and never have berries. Other trees have only female flowers and are female and berry producing trees.
9 . What are some bees (native and non) found in Georgia?
Honey bee, bumble bee, leafcutter bee, mason bee, mining bee, carpenter bees, long horned bees, sweat bees.
10 . Can a honey bee pollinate a flower with one visit?
Usually, no. It takes multiple trips as there are many seeds in the ovary and it takes one sperm to fertilize each seed in the ovary. For example, it may take up to 20 visits from a bee to adequately fertilize a cucumber.
11 . What is meant by flower fidelity or flower constancy?
Bees will work only one type of flower on each foraging trip and not randomly forage. For example, if a bee is flying into an apple orchard, it will only collect nectar and pollen from apple blossoms disregarding what else may be in bloom. This behavior optimizes foraging efficiency for the bee while maximizing cross pollination for plants.
12 . Why are blue orchard bees important to Georgia agriculture?
In recent years, the blue orchard bee has become established as an alternative orchard pollinator in North America with a strong preference for fruit trees. They are highly efficient pollinators; in fact, just 250-300 females will pollinate an entire acre of apples or cherries. Blue orchard bees will also forage and pollinate under cloudy skies and at lower temperatures than most other bees. They are easy to manage and rarely sting
13 . What is “buzz pollination”?
Bumble bees forage in such a way as to vibrate the flower which releases pollen from the vibratory action. This action is useful for tomatoes and cucurbits (squash, cucumber and melon) and those raised in greenhouses.
14 . What are some reasons why honey bees are such valuable pollinators?
Perennial colony
Nectar and pollen are their only food
They are covered in plumose hairs to collect pollen
They display flower constant behavior (flower fidelity)
Populations can be manipulated
A great deal is known about their biology
Honey bees are a “generalist” and visits many flowers
Bees will forage in all but the worst weather
We can partially direct where and when bees forage
We can move them into fields
15 . What are some of the important considerations when managing bees for pollination?
Stronger colonies provide more bees and will continue to forage when a weaker colony has ceased foraging all together.
A strong colony forages at lower temperatures than a weak colony.
To build a strong colony for pollination, the target date for a populous hive is the bloom date of the plant needing pollination.
Colonies with an expanding brood pattern are best at pollinating since the presence of brood stimulates the collection of pollen.
Colonies with only one brood box are advantageous as they are easier to move, and the field bees enter the hive into the brood area which stimulates more foraging.
16 . What is the standard or recommended number of hives needed to pollinate 1 acre of crops?
1 to 2 colonies per acre.
17 . What are some of the crops bee colonies are rented for pollination?
Alfalfa seed
Almonds
Apples (and other fruits)
Fruits and Vegetables (cucumber, squash, melons)
18 . Why are honey bees not the best pollinators for alfalfa?
When the honey bee lands on the alfalfa blossoms, it triggers a release mechanism so that the anthers hit the honey bee on the underside of the bee head, thus bees tend to avoid the alfalfa blossoms. Alfalfa farmers use leafcutter/alkali bees to pollinate their crops.
19 . Why do almonds need honey bees to pollinate the crop?
Commercial varieties of almond trees are self-incompatible and need pollen transferred from another compatible variety to produce nuts.
20 . How many bee colonies in the US are moved to California for the almond pollination?
2 – 2.8 million
21 . What are the most important honey plants/trees in North America?
Clover - ubiquitous all over the country
Star thistle and fireweed in the western mountains
Canola in Canada
Black locust, tupelo, tulip poplar, sourwood and basswood