Availability of a place to attract pollinator nests in yellow passion fruit crops
The passion fruit has hermaphrodite and self-incompatible flowers, i.e. the pollen grain produced by one flower cannot fecundate it or other flowers of the same plant. For fruit formation, pollen must be exchanged between different plants. This procedure is called cross-pollination and in passion fruit crops is carried out efficiently by large bees, especially those of the genus Xylocopa, popularly known as carpenter bees.
The purpose of the project is to produce and make available a ranch with trap nests in a yellow passion fruit crop (Passiflora edulis) to attract the Xylocopa bees, the passion fruit’s main pollinators. It is being developed on a property located in the city of Itatinga, countryside of the State of São Paulo, in partnership with a producer and beekeeper.
The carpenter bees got their name because they build their nests in dead wood, dry tree branches, fence posts or bamboo cavities. Based on this nesting feature, a wooden ranch with tile roof will be built to attract the bees. This ranch will have wooden stumps hung and shelves with 8-hole ceramic brick with bamboo buds inserted in the holes.
During the flowering period, which should start in October 2020 until March 2021, the yellow passion fruit flowers visitors will be observed on a monthly basis to determine the pollinators. On the same day of the observations, inspections will also be carried out on wood stumps and bamboo buds to check the bees’ nesting rate.
