Sustainable Management of Orchard Pollination Services
Lead Research Organisation:
National Institute of Agricultural Botany
Department Name: Centre for Research
Abstract
Abstracts are not currently available in GtR for all funded research. This is normally because the abstract was not required at the time of proposal submission, but may be because it included sensitive information such as personal details.
Technical Summary
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.
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.
Planned Impact
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 estimated at £95M. The direct involvement and financial support of Avalon Produce, Worldwide Fruit and Syngenta in this IPA project reflects their interest in the outcomes and they have been involved through the proposal development process. Production loss of more than £6000/ha due to sub-optimal pollination have been identified in some apple orchards. Addressing this pollination gap, based on finding from this proposal will have real financial implication for the 100's of apple growers in the UK. Furthermore, effective management to improve crop pollination services will increase the resilience of production to environmental change and particularly climate change. Stable fruit yield and quality year to year is a key requirement for apple producers and addressing this issue will have a real positive impact on UK apple growers. Factoring ecosystem services such as crop pollination into farmer portfolio risk analysis presents a real step forward in the way growers think about managing such ecosystem based services. Increasing grower understanding and appreciation of managing wider biodiversity on farmland using techniques developed by this proposal will benefit crop production and wider ecosystem health.
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. Effective pollinator management strategies and an improved understanding of how creating optimised forage and nesting habitat benefit pollinator communities in agricultural landscapes, integrated into countryside policy will improve the effectiveness of Stewardship Schemes. This will increase the positive impacts these schemes can provide by boosting crop pollination services but also supporting wild pollinator communities of conservation concern, both key objectives of Defra's National Pollinator Strategy.
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 benefit consumers. Furthermore, the public has an increasing awareness of the links between pollinators and food production and our outreach and extension work will look to further the public's understanding of the importance of wild pollinators. Our project will enable grower to produce crops in a more sustainable way by supporting wild pollinators while simultaneously reducing their dependence on other agricultural inputs. Our industrial partners directly supply all major UK food retailers including Waitrose, M&S, Tesco, Asda, Co-Op, Aldi, Lidl, Morrisons and Sainsbury's, so a huge number of consumers buying these products can be sure of better sustainability and providence of UK top fruit supply.
GROWERS:
The value of insect pollination to UK agriculture is estimated to be £691M p.a. (2011), with the value to apples alone estimated at £95M. The direct involvement and financial support of Avalon Produce, Worldwide Fruit and Syngenta in this IPA project reflects their interest in the outcomes and they have been involved through the proposal development process. Production loss of more than £6000/ha due to sub-optimal pollination have been identified in some apple orchards. Addressing this pollination gap, based on finding from this proposal will have real financial implication for the 100's of apple growers in the UK. Furthermore, effective management to improve crop pollination services will increase the resilience of production to environmental change and particularly climate change. Stable fruit yield and quality year to year is a key requirement for apple producers and addressing this issue will have a real positive impact on UK apple growers. Factoring ecosystem services such as crop pollination into farmer portfolio risk analysis presents a real step forward in the way growers think about managing such ecosystem based services. Increasing grower understanding and appreciation of managing wider biodiversity on farmland using techniques developed by this proposal will benefit crop production and wider ecosystem health.
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. Effective pollinator management strategies and an improved understanding of how creating optimised forage and nesting habitat benefit pollinator communities in agricultural landscapes, integrated into countryside policy will improve the effectiveness of Stewardship Schemes. This will increase the positive impacts these schemes can provide by boosting crop pollination services but also supporting wild pollinator communities of conservation concern, both key objectives of Defra's National Pollinator Strategy.
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 benefit consumers. Furthermore, the public has an increasing awareness of the links between pollinators and food production and our outreach and extension work will look to further the public's understanding of the importance of wild pollinators. Our project will enable grower to produce crops in a more sustainable way by supporting wild pollinators while simultaneously reducing their dependence on other agricultural inputs. Our industrial partners directly supply all major UK food retailers including Waitrose, M&S, Tesco, Asda, Co-Op, Aldi, Lidl, Morrisons and Sainsbury's, so a huge number of consumers buying these products can be sure of better sustainability and providence of UK top fruit supply.
Publications
Fountain M
(2023)
Location and Creation of Nest Sites for Ground-Nesting Bees in Apple Orchards
in Insects
Fountain MT
(2019)
Insect pollinators of Conference pear (Pyrus cummunis L.) and their contribution to fruit quality
in Journal of Pollination Ecology
Fountain MT
(2022)
Impacts of Wildflower Interventions on Beneficial Insects in Fruit Crops: A Review
in Insects
Garratt MP
(2016)
Apple Pollination: Demand Depends on Variety and Supply Depends on Pollinator Identity.
in PloS one
Garratt MPD
(2023)
Addressing pollination deficits in orchard crops through habitat management for wild pollinators.
in Ecological applications : a publication of the Ecological Society of America
Garratt MPD
(2021)
Opportunities to reduce pollination deficits and address production shortfalls in an important insect-pollinated crop.
in Ecological applications : a publication of the Ecological Society of America
Gill R
(2016)
Ecosystem Services: From Biodiversity to Society, Part 2
Hodgkiss D
(2019)
The effect of within-crop floral resources on pollination, aphid control and fruit quality in commercial strawberry
in Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment
Howard C
(2024)
Perennial flower margins reduce orchard fruit damage by rosy apple aphid, Dysaphis plantaginea (Homoptera: Aphididae)
in Journal of Applied Ecology
Martin C
(2019)
Busier bees: increasing nest traffic in commercial bumblebee colonies
in Journal of Pollination Ecology
Martin CD
(2019)
Varietal and seasonal differences in the effects of commercial bumblebees on fruit quality in strawberry crops.
in Agriculture, ecosystems & environment
Martin CD
(2018)
Bumblebee olfactory learning affected by task allocation but not by a trypanosome parasite.
in Scientific reports
Mateos-Fierro Z
(2021)
Active management of wildflower strips in commercial sweet cherry orchards enhances natural enemies and pest regulation services
in Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment
McKerchar M
(2020)
The potential for wildflower interventions to enhance natural enemies and pollinators in commercial apple orchards is limited by other management practices
in Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment
Reeves L
(2022)
Climate induced phenological shifts in pears - A crop of economic importance in the UK
in Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment
Shaw B
(2022)
Organic control strategies for use in IPM of invertebrate pests in apple and pear orchards
in Insects
Description | 2017 was baseline data - some methodology changed as a result. 2018 data revealed that bees targeted for pollinating apple are probably not the same as the bees nesting in bare earth - this was confirmed in 2019. A connected PhD study is now attempting to identify where orchard solitary bees are nesting. There was evidence that polliniser trees in Gala apple orchards may not be enhancing fruit quality - this was confirmed in 2019. Floral margins attract a wealth of flower visitors and may also be providing nesting habitat for solitary bees. Bare nesting areas did not encourage the majority of the target bees for apple pollination The provision of wild flowers increased pollinators on wildflower strips The provision of wildflowers and nesting areas improved numbers of solitary bees visiting apple blossoms after 3 years. Data is being collected on how these relate to fruit quality. A project meeting will be held in Feb 2020 to discuss publications and follow on projects. |
Exploitation Route | Change in methodology for assessing nesting bee habitat. Similar studies are needed in other crops to ascertain the most important pollinating insects and how might be conserved and encouraged. Impact of wildflower margins on fruit pests. |
Sectors | Agriculture, Food and Drink,Environment |
URL | http://www.reading.ac.uk/caer/SMOOPS/SMOOPS_index.html |
Description | Findings have been used by some fruit growers to establish floral mixes next to fruit crops. Some growers are creating bare areas of sloped bare soil to encourage solitary bee nesting. Growers are more aware of the benefits on native (not honeybees) on apple pollination. Findings of this research are being fed into an interreg BEESPOKE project producing training materials and advise for growers to establish wildflower margins and be able to assess pollination levels in their crops. Two follow on PhD student have resulted as a result of this collaboration. One on impacts of floral margins on natural enemies in fruit orchards and the second on climate change impact of pests in pear orchards. |
Sector | Agriculture, Food and Drink,Environment |
Impact Types | Economic |
Description | Bene?tting Ecosystems through Evaluation of food Supplies for Pollination to Open up Knowledge for End users |
Amount | £73,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | European Commission |
Department | European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) |
Sector | Public |
Country | Belgium |
Start | 04/2019 |
End | 06/2023 |
Description | Climate driven mismatches in fruit, pest and natural enemy phenology to mitigate crop damage |
Amount | £30,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | Waitrose Limited |
Sector | Private |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 09/2020 |
End | 08/2024 |
Description | Enhancing the sustainability and improving quality of apple production through ecosystem service management |
Amount | £30,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | University of Reading |
Sector | Academic/University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 09/2020 |
End | 08/2024 |
Description | Growing complimentary crops and nutritionally rewarding cultivars to sustain insect pollinators and crop pollination on farms |
Amount | £30,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | University of Sussex |
Sector | Academic/University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 09/2021 |
End | 08/2025 |
Title | Design of a wildflower mix for strawberries |
Description | Part of EU BEESPOKE project BEESPOKE - Establishing Perennial Wildflowers Leaflef BEESPOKE - Establishing Perennial Wildflowers Leaflets DUTCH BEESPOKE Insect Identification Guide WEB BEESPOKE Insect Survey Form BEESPOKE - Common Bumblebees of the UK Leaflet BEESPOKE - Common Bumblebees of the Netherlands Leaflet Work University Gent - Pollination Maps for Agriculture (Tool 1) Work University Gent - The Added Value of Flower Strip (Tool 2) Report #2: 3 Training materials for measuring pollinators and pollination Report #3: 5 Development of validated pollination maps for the NSR Report #3: 2 Development and evaluation of protocols for measuring pollinators and pollination. Report #3: 3 Training materials for measuring pollinators and pollination |
Type Of Material | Biological samples |
Year Produced | 2021 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Impact | Hundreds of request from growers for tools |
URL | https://northsearegion.eu/beespoke/ |
Title | Establishment of perennial wildflowers |
Description | How to establish wildflowers in a research setting and under polythene. |
Type Of Material | Improvements to research infrastructure |
Year Produced | 2019 |
Provided To Others? | No |
Impact | Advisory to growers. Set up a new experiment funded by Rivers Trusts. Gained a new Interreg Project on bespoke floral margins. |
Title | Collection of species on nesting bees in orchards |
Description | Identification of bee species nesting in orchards |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2019 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Impact | Publications being generated. Advice given to practitioners. |
Description | Sustainable Management of Orchard Pollination Services |
Organisation | University of Reading |
Department | School of Agriculture, Policy and Development Reading |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Sharing of data and technical staff |
Collaborator Contribution | Statistical analyses and joint publications |
Impact | Continued collaboration of projects including at least 4 shared PhD students |
Start Year | 2019 |
Description | 'Shaping the Future for Pollinators - Innovations in Farmed Landscapes' |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A broadcast e.g. TV/radio/film/podcast (other than news/press) |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Media (as a channel to the public) |
Results and Impact | AAB-RES-BES event entitled 'Shaping the Future for Pollinators - Innovations in Farmed Landscapes'. Copthorne Hotel, Cippenham Lane, Slough Berkshire Gave Radio 4 interview on same day about solitary bees |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | 22 Feb 18 AHDB/EMR Association Tree Fruit Day - Wildflower strips and solitary bees |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | 22 Feb 18 AHDB/EMR Association Tree Fruit Day Wildflower strips and solitary bees |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
Description | 24 Feb 2022 NIAB EMR Tree Fruit Day 'Sustainable management of orchard pollination services' 'The latest developments on brown marmorated stink bug' |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | 24 Feb 2022 NIAB EMR Tree Fruit Day 'Sustainable management of orchard pollination services' 'The latest developments on brown marmorated stink bug' |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
URL | https://www.niab.com/news-views/news/free-niab-webinar-event-highlights-latest-tree-fruit-research#:... |
Description | 25 Dutch companies, WET Centre, SWD and pollinators |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | International |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Discussion on SWD control and managing pollinators on farms |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
Description | 26 Oct 17 BBC Radio Kent interview (whilst at the National Fruit Show) discussing the challenges faced by bees in the environment |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A press release, press conference or response to a media enquiry/interview |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Public/other audiences |
Results and Impact | 26 Oct 17 BBC Radio Kent interview (whilst at the National Fruit Show) discussing the challenges faced by bees in the environment |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
Description | AHDB Fruit Agronomists' Day, NIAB EMR |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Talks on New orchard biodiversity (TF 223), SWD Bait v overall sprays (SF/TF 145a) |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
Description | Boosting solitary bees in apple orchards |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | 13 Sep 2017 AHDB Agronomist day at NIAB EMR |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
Description | Follow the Bees |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Fruit Focus farm walk |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
Description | Fruit Focus tour, Enhancing pest control by planting floral resources in and around strawberry crops |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Talk followed by discussion on how to implement management of pollinators and control strawberry pests |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
Description | Innovation in Horticulture event, NIAB EMR, WET Centre: Fruit Quality attributes - research in to the role of beneficials and pollinators |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Discussion on research at NIAB EMR |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
Description | Innovations in fruit pest control and how WCoF kick-started recent pollination research at NIAB EMR |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Other audiences |
Results and Impact | Worshipful Company of Fruiterers |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
Description | Introduction to pollinating insects |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Industry/Business |
Results and Impact | 25 Apr 2017 East Kent Fruit Society, Clive Baxter farm in Kent, Grower field meeting |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
Description | Pollination within strawberry crops |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Fruit Focus, East Malling - practical demonstration |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
Description | Pollinator Identification Guides and Records plus How to Successfully Establish Perennial Wildflower Areas |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | BIFGA Farm walk |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2021 |
Description | Sustainable management of orchard pollination services |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | East Malling Tree Fruit day - talk to growers |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |
Description | Talk to Lord Selborne on entomology work at NIAB EMR, Pollinators and entomology |
Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an open day or visit at my research institution |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | Regional |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Talk on the reach of research at NIAB EMR |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2019 |
Description | Wildflowers and hoverflies |
Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
Geographic Reach | National |
Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
Results and Impact | Berry Garden Growers Research and Agronomy Conference, FOREST OF ARDEN MARRIOTT HOTEL & COUNTRY CLUB, MAXSTOKE LANE, MERIDEN, BIRMINGHAM. |
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2022 |