NEC05797 Sustainable Management of Orchard Pollination Services

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Insect pollination is essential for apple production, improving yield, fruit quality and market value. Pollination deficits in excess of £6,000/ha in UK dessert apple orchards have been identified, so significant economic returns by improving pollination services could be made. Research shows that the majority of apple pollination services are provided by a few species of wild bees. The aim of this project is to design and test three interventions to enhance the effectiveness of wild pollinators of orchards.

Pollinisers are trees grown in orchards providing a viable pollen source for the commercial trees, but do not contribute to production. Currently the numbers and locations of pollinisers in orchards uses a 'rule of thumb'. The optimum number and spatial distribution of polliniser trees in orchards will be tested in field trial manipulations.

Floral strips benefit pollinators and enhancing wild bee nesting habitat can locally enhance bee numbers. We will "engineer" the optimal floral composition of flower strips, based on morphology and flowering time, to develop and test flower margins specifically targeted at apple pollinators. In tandem, ground nesting bee habitat will be created to test effects on pollinators and pollination service. Impact of these interventions, individually and in combination, on pollinators and pollination services will be tested in a large scale field trial.

Bio-economic analysis of these interventions will be undertaken utilising a production function method linking management and habitat quality parameters to pollination services as well a portfolio analyses developing spatially explicit management portfolios for growers. Findings will be disseminated through our industrial partners and then to the wider grower community and more broadly through policy benefitting top-fruit production across the UK by promoting cost effective wild pollinator management strategies increasing production quality and stable yields.

The impact of this research will be far reaching and findings from the project will directly benefit growers and inform policy decision making with resulting benefits for the consumer and the general public.

GROWERS:
The value of insect pollination to UK agriculture is estimated to be £691M p.a. (2011) with the value to apples alone at least £95M. The direct involvement and financial support of Avalon and Worldwide Fruit in this IPA project reflects their interest in the outcomes and they have been involved through the proposal development process. Their involvement also provides a direct link for dissemination of findings to the fruit growing industry, ensuring maximum impact in the form of long-term adaptations to orchard management, improving top fruit pollination and food security. The University of Reading, East Malling Research and Centre for Ecology & Hydrology have long-standing relationships with many other grower organisations and supermarkets including Berry Gardens, Sainsbury's, Total Berry, Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board and Waitrose, enabling research findings to have impact beyond project partners. Methods for engaging and influencing the grower community include the use of demonstration orchards, multiple stakeholder workshops, grower factsheets and "how to" guides, presentations at tradeshows and publication of materials on industry partner websites.

POLICY MAKERS:
Findings from this project will provide evidence to help shape UK policy, particularly in areas of sustainable food production and CAP Countryside Stewardship schemes. Project outputs will be made directly available to government evidence teams through the production of Policy Briefs (e.g. POSTNotes and Policy and Practice Notes) for which the research team has considerable experience. Furthermore, Potts is a member of Defra's Pollinator Expert Advisory Group which is headed by Prof Ian Boyd (Defra's Chief Scientific Advisor), and a member of Defra's Sustainable Intensification Platform Research Advisory Group, thereby ensuring information transfer. He also Chairs the UN Intergovernmental science-policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services assessment of Pollination and Food Production and advises the European Parliament, Commission's DG's and FAO on pollination and food security, thereby giving access to international policy makers.

GENERAL PUBLIC:
Pollinators provide essential services underpinning production of high value, nutritious, locally produced products. Evidence from this project will help support sustainable management of pollination services in the UK, ensuring a more stable supply of quality produce which will feedback through the supply chain and potentially benefit consumers. Furthermore, the public has an increasing awareness of the links between pollinators and food production and our work will look to further the public's understanding of the importance of wild pollinators. Our research team has considerable experience presenting research at public events and engaging the public with representation at a number of recent events including LEAF Open Farm Sundays, Cereals, County Agricultural Shows, Oxford festival of nature, Oxford Bio Blitz, and Wildlife Trust family wildlife activity day. The University of Reading, CEH and EMR dedicated press teams will also provide support preparing press releases following major project findings, ensuring they are accurate and distributed to the most relevant and high impact media sources for maximum public exposure and resulting impact.