A study on pollination of dessert peaches cv. Crawford

Abstract

The availability of pollen for fertilization of Crawford peaches and its dispersal by wind and by honeybees was studied in the laboratory and in a peach orchard. Optimum conditions for ripening and dehiscence of the anthers were provided when temperatures were above 25°C and humidity was below 70 per cent R.H. There was virtually no airborne pollen in the open orchard or inside a cage placed around a peach tree. Flight activity of bees was related to ambient temperatures and bee visits to peach trees were low compared with those for cherries or apples. On trees to which bees had access there was a 2.9 x increase in percentage of flowers that set fruit and a 2.6 x increase in weight of fruit harvested as compared with trees from which bees were excluded.