2017 ASHS Annual Conference

Pollination is a key component to optimal yield and fruit set in numerous vegetable crops, with honey bees being the primary pollinator. Honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) populations in the United States have experienced dramatic declines, exhibiting a loss of 59% of colonies from 1947 to 2005. Likewise, several native bees have exhibited sustained declines over the past century. Decline in managed honey bee populations can be attributed to habitat loss, intensive fertilizer/pesticide application, inhospitable field conditions, and limited food supplies. We hypothesized the addition of strategic and methodical placement of bee-attracting plants in cultivated landscapes near vegetable crops will increase the yield and quality of the agricultural crops and serve as a supplemental nutrition source for bees. Commercial farmers of cucumbers (Cucumis sativus L.) and habanero peppers (Capsicum chinense L.) have observed increased yield with the addition of bees in close proximity to their vegetable crops. However, the addition of bees is not typically feasible for small-scale farmers and home gardeners. Limited studies have demonstrated the potential of pollinator-attracting plants to be used as a lure to enhance the visitation of honey bees and other pollinators to adjacent food crop species. This study evaluated the potential of adding pollinator attracting plants in close proximity to cucumber and habanero pepper plants. Two treatment groups of pollinator attracting plants were evaluated: perennials and annuals. The perennial treatment group consisted of Phyla (Phyla nodiflora (L.) Greene), Borricia (Borrichia frutescens (L.) DC.), Saliva (Salvia ‘Augusta Duelberg’ L.), and Texas kidneywood (Eysenhardtia texana Scheele). The annual treatment group consisted of Cosmos (Cosmos bipinnatus Cav.), Zinnia (Zinnia marylandica D.M. Spooner, Stimart & T. Boyle), Borage (Borago officinalis L.) and Basil (Ocimum basilicum L.). The economic sustainability of the proposed system was measured by determining whether the investments in pollinator-attracting plants are justified economically in terms of crop yield or quality improvements. Yield and quality data were recorded for each crop species and analyzed using analysis of variance. A significant increase in yield was found in the annual treatment group compared to control plots lacking pollinator attracting plants. During the first year a significant difference was not found in the perennial treatment group compared to control plots, which may be attributed to the establishment period necessary for perennial plantings.