According to CEASA in Ceará, strawberry cultivation can be improved markedly when planting is combined with the use of stingless bees. The benefits of combining strawberry planting with bees were discovered by agronomists Priscila Miranda and Zilda Cristina. The pair carried out research in Barra do Choça, Bahia, under the guidance of Raquel Pérez and Aldenise Alves.
“Evaluations of the benefits promoted by visits from stingless bees are frequent, as they are usually found in the flowers of easily managed agricultural crops and have low or no aggressiveness. However, there is a lack of studies on commercial properties in the open field, without greenhouses”, says Priscila.
“Everything indicates that strawberry cultivation benefits from the ecosystem service provided by Iraí and Jataí bees, which makes it possible to recommend the management of these two species of stingless bees to supplement pollination in open cultivation areas, which may present some deficit of pollination , as well as the best season of the year that can benefit from the services of bees.”
Brazilian strawberry cultivation covers an area of 5,300 hectares – equivalent to 5,000 football fields – and an annual production of 200,000 tons, according to data gathered by Embrapa.
Source: abrafrutas.org