Bumblebee Pollination Enhances Yield and Flavor of Tomato in Gobi Desert Greenhouses

Hong Zhang, Chao Han, Tom D. Breeze, Mengdan Li, Shibonage K. Mashilingi, Jun Hua, Wenbin Zhang, Xuebin Zhang, Shiwen Zhang and Jiandong An
Additional contact information
Hong Zhang: Key Laboratory for Insect-Pollinator Biology of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Apicultural Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
Chao Han: Biotechnology Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100081, China
Tom D. Breeze: Centre for Agri-Environmental Research, School of Agriculture, Policy and Development, Reading University, Reading RG6 6AH, UK
Mengdan Li: Key Laboratory for Insect-Pollinator Biology of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Apicultural Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
Shibonage K. Mashilingi: Key Laboratory for Insect-Pollinator Biology of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Apicultural Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
Jun Hua: Cash-Crops Technology Extension Centre of Zhangye City, Zhangye 734000, China
Wenbin Zhang: Cash-Crops Technology Extension Centre of Zhangye City, Zhangye 734000, China
Xuebin Zhang: Cash-Crops Technology Extension Centre of Gansu Province, Lanzhou 730030, China
Shiwen Zhang: Gansu Institute of Apiculture, Tianshui 741020, China
Jiandong An: Key Laboratory for Insect-Pollinator Biology of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Institute of Apicultural Research, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China

Agriculture, 2022, vol. 12, issue 6, 1-15

Abstract: Bumblebee pollination is crucial to the production of tomato in protected cultivation. Both tomato yield and flavor play important roles in attracting attentions from growers and consumers. Compared with yield, much less work has been conducted to investigate whether and how pollination methods affect tomato flavor. In this study, the effects of bumblebee pollination, vibrator treatment, and plant growth regulator (PGR) treatment on tomato yield and flavor were tested in Gobi Desert greenhouses. Compared with vibrator or PGR treatments, bumblebee pollinated tomato had higher and more stable fruit set, heavier fruit weight, and more seed. We also found that the seed quantity positively correlated with fruit weight in both bumblebee pollinated, and vibrator treated tomato, but not in PGR treated tomato. Besides enhancing yield, bumblebee pollination improved tomato flavor. Bumblebee pollinated tomato fruits contained more fructose and glucose, but less sucrose, citric acid, and malic acid. Furthermore, the volatile organic compounds of bumblebee pollinated tomato were distinctive with vibrator or PGR treated tomato, and more consumer liking related compounds were identified in bumblebee pollinated tomato. Our findings provide new insights into the contributions of bee pollinator towards improving crop yield and quality, emphasizing the importance of bumblebee for tomato pollination.

Keywords: tomato; pollination; Bombus lantschouensis; fruit flavor; volatile organic compound (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q1 Q10 Q11 Q12 Q13 Q14 Q15 Q16 Q17 Q18 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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