2019 ASHS Annual Conference

Pollination is a key component to obtain proper yield and fruit set in numerous vegetable crops, with the honey bee, Apis mellifera L., being their primary pollinator. Honey bee populations in the United States have experienced dramatic declines, exhibiting a loss of 59% of colonies from 1947 to 2005. Likewise, several native bee species have exhibited sustained declines over the past century. We hypothesized that the placement of pollinator-attracting plants near vegetable crops would increase the yield and quality of vegetable crops by attracting a greater frequency and diversity of pollinators. This study evaluated the addition of pollinator-attracting plants in close proximity to cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) and habanero pepper (Capsicum chinense Jacq.). Two treatment groups of pollinator-attracting plants were evaluated: perennial companion plantings adjacent to crop rows and interplanted annual companion plants within crop rows. The perennial companion plants consisted of Phyla nodiflora (L.) Greene, Borrichia frutescens (L.) DC., Salvia farinacea Benth. ‘Henry Duelberg’, and Eysenhardtia texana Scheele. Annual companion plants consisted of Cosmos bipinnatus Cav., Zinnia × marylandica D.M. Spooner, Stimart, & T. Boyle, Borago officinalis L. and Ocimum basilicum L. Yield was recorded and analyzed using analysis of variance tests for three successive cropping cycles. Significant differences in yield were found among treatment groups with greater yields observed in companion planting treatments, particularly with annual pollinator-attracting species, when compared to control treatments for both habanero peppers and cucumbers. Influence of pollinator attracting companion plants appeared to vary seasonally, suggesting they may be more beneficial at some seasons than others for a given crop.