Impact of Insect Pollination on Fruit Set, Fruit Size and Yield of Three Sweet Cherry Cultivars

Abstract— In the present research project, we compare three different pollination types (viz., with insects, without insects, and solely with honeybees) of three widespread sweet cherry cultivars, with the aim of conducting measurements and drawing conclusions pertaining to the impact of pollinators on fruit set, yield, and fruit quality in commercial orchards. It included a total of three treatments: Isolation with anti-insect nets (IS), Isolation with cages and Honeybee Pollination (HB), and Open Pollination (OP). Recent research focuses mostly on the role that different types of pollinator have in sweet cherry pollination; however, they do not provide measurements of final yields. The applied experimental method, was fast, simple, of low labor cost, and yielded robust and valid results based upon statistical analysis that are easily comprehensible by the sweet cherry growers. From the results of the experiment, it is evident that the absence of pollinators is a restrictive factor in fruit production, not only in cross-pollinated but also in self-fertile varieties. The value of open pollination, during which cherry flowers are visited by native pollinators and honeybees is beyond doubt. Wind is not a means of transporting pollen to sweet cherry trees. Honeybees have proved to be effective managed pollinators and thus they represent an efficient approach that can ensure increased yields and large size fruits, when colonies placed in sweet cherry orchards