List of crop plants pollinated by bees
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This is a list of crop plants pollinated by bees along with how much crop yield is improved by bee pollination.{{cite journal|url= |title=Importance of pollinators in changing landscapes for world crops (supplement 2)|year=2007|doi=10.1098/rspb.2006.3721|pmid=17164193|last1=Klein|first1=A. M.|last2=Vaissière|first2=B. E.|last3=Cane|first3=J. H.|last4=Steffan-Dewenter|first4=I.|last5=Cunningham|first5=S. A.|last6=Kremen|first6=C.|last7=Tscharntke|first7=T.|journal=Proceedings. Biological Sciences|volume=274|issue=1608|pages=303–13|pmc=1702377}} Most of them are pollinated in whole or part by honey bees and by the crop's natural pollinators such as bumblebees, orchard bees, squash bees, and solitary bees. Where the same plants have non-bee pollinators such as birds or other insects like flies, these are also indicated.
Pollination by insects is called entomophily. Entomophily is a form of plant pollination whereby pollen is distributed by insects, particularly bees, Lepidoptera (butterflies and moths), flies and beetles. Honey bees pollinate many plant species that are not native to their natural habitat but are often inefficient pollinators of such plants; if they are visiting ten different species of flower, only a tenth of the pollen they carry may be the right species. Other bees tend to favor one species at a time, therefore do most of the actual pollination.
Most staple food grains, like wheat, rice, soybean, maize and sorghum, need no insect help at all; they are wind or self-pollinated. Other staple food crops, like bananas and plantains, are propagated from cuttings, and produce fruit without pollination (parthenocarpy). Further, foods such as root vegetables and leafy vegetables will produce a useful food crop without pollination, though pollination may be required for the purpose of seed production or breeding.
| class="wikitable sortable"
!Common name !Scientific name !Pollinator !Commercial product !Pollinator !Number of !Geography of cultivation |
| Okra
|Abelmoschus esculentus |Honey bees (incl. Apis cerana), solitary bees (Halictus spp.) |fruit |2-modest | |temperate |
| Kiwifruit
|Actinidia deliciosa |Honey bees, bumblebees, solitary bees |fruit |4-essential | | |
| Potato
|Solanum tuberosum |seed |1-little | |temperate, tropical |
| Onion
|Allium cepa |Honey bees, solitary bees, blow flies |seed |1-little | |temperate, tropical |
| Cashew
|Anacardium occidentale |Honey bees, stingless bees, bumblebees, solitary bees (Centris tarsata), butterflies, flies, hummingbirds |nut |3-great | |tropical |
| Celery
|Apium graveolens |Honey bees, solitary bees, flies |seed | | |temperate |
| Strawberry tree
|Arbutus unedo |fruit |2-modest | | |
| Carambola, starfruit
|Averrhoa carambola |fruit |3-great | |tropical |
| Brazil nut
|Bertholletia excelsa |Bumblebees, orchid bees, carpenter bees |nut |4-essential | |equatorial |
| Beet
|Beta vulgaris |Hover flies, honey bees, solitary bees |seed |1-little | |temperate |
| Mustard
|Brassica alba, Brassica hirta, Brassica nigra |Honey bees, solitary bees (Osmia cornifrons, Osmia lignaria) |seed |2-modest | |temperate |
| Rapeseed
|Brassica napus |seed |2-modest | |temperate |
| Broccoli
|Brassica oleracea cultivar |seed |1-little | |temperate |
| Cauliflower
|Brassica oleracea Botrytis Group |seed |1-little | |temperate |
| Cabbage
|Brassica oleracea Capitata Group |seed |1-little | |temperate |
| Brussels sprouts
|Brassica oleracea Gemmifera Group |seed |1-little | |temperate |
| Chinese cabbage
|Brassica rapa |seed |1-little | |temperate |
| Turnip, canola
|Brassica rapa |Honey bees, solitary bees (Andrena ilerda, Osmia cornifrons, Osmia lignaria, Halictus spp.), flies |seed |3-great |1 |temperate |
| Pigeon pea, Cajan pea, Congo bean
|Cajanus cajan |Honey bees, solitary bees (Megachile spp.), carpenter bees |seed |1-little | | |
| Jack bean, horse bean, sword bean
|Canavalia spp. |Solitary bees, carpenter bees (Xylocopa confusa) |seed |2-modest | | |
| Chili pepper, red pepper, bell pepper, green pepper
|Capsicum annuum, Capsicum frutescens |Honey bees, stingless bees (Melipona spp.), bumblebees, solitary bees, hover flies |fruit |1-little (pollinators important in green houses to increase fruit weight, but less in open fields) | | |
| Papaya
|Carica papaya |Honey bees, thrips, large sphinx moths, moths, butterflies |fruit |1-little | | |
| Safflower
|Carthamus tinctorius |seed |1-little | | |
| Caraway
|Carum carvi |Honey bees, solitary bees, flies |seed |2-modest |1 |temperate |
| Chestnut
|Castanea sativa |nut |2-modest | |sub-tropical, Mediterranean or temperate |
| Watermelon
|Citrullus lanatus |Honey bees, bumblebees, solitary bees |fruit |4-essential |1-3 |temperate |
| Tangerine
|Citrus tangerina |fruit |1-little | |sub-tropical |
| Orange, grapefruit, tangelo
|Citrus spp. |fruit |1-little | |sub-tropical |
| Coconut
|Cocos nucifera |nut |2-modest | |tropical |
| Coffee
|Coffea spp. |Honey bees, stingless bees, solitary bees |fruit |2-modest | |tropical |
| Coriander
|Coriandrum sativum |seed |3-great | | |
| Crownvetch
|Coronilla varia L. |Honey bees, bumblebees, solitary bees |seed (increased yield from pollinators) | | |temperate |
| Azarole
|fruit |1-little | | |
| Cantaloupe, melon
|Cucumis melo L. |Honey bees, squash bees, bumblebees, solitary bees (Ceratina spp.) |fruit |4-essential |2-4 |temperate |
| Cucumber
|Cucumis sativus |Honey bees, squash bees, bumblebees, leafcutter bee (in greenhouse pollination), solitary bees (for some parthenocarpic gynoecious green house varieties pollination is detrimental to fruit quality) |fruit |3-great |1-2 |temperate |
| Squash, pumpkin, gourd, marrow, zucchini
|Cucurbita spp. |Honey bees, squash bees, bumblebees, solitary bees |fruit |4-essential |1 |temperate |
| Guar bean, Goa bean
|Cyamopsis tetragonoloba |seed |1-little | | |
| Quince
|Cydonia oblonga Mill. |fruit | | |temperate |
| Lemon
|Citrus limon |Honey bees (also will often self-pollinate) |fruit | | |temperate |
| Lime
|Citrus limetta |Honey bees (also will often self-pollinate) |fruit | | |temperate |
| Carrot
|Daucus carota |Flies, solitary bees, honey bees |seed | | |temperate |
| Hyacinth bean
|Dolichos spp. |seed |2-modest | | |
| Longan
|Dimocarpus longan | |1-little | | |
| Persimmon
|Diospyros kaki, Diospyros virginiana |Honey bees, bumblebees, solitary bees |fruit |1-little | |
| Cardamom
|Elettaria cardamomum | |3-great | | |
| Loquat
|Eriobotrya japonica |fruit |3-great | | |
| Buckwheat
|Fagopyrum esculentum |seed |3-great |1 |temperate |
| Feijoa
|Feijoa sellowiana |fruit |3-great | |tropical |
| Fennel
|Foeniculum vulgare |Honey bees, solitary bees, flies |seed |3-great | |temperate |
| Strawberry
|Fragaria spp. |Honey bees, stingless bees, bumblebees, solitary bees (Halictus spp.), hover flies |fruit |2-modest |1 |temperate |
| Cotton
|Gossypium spp. |Honey bees, bumblebees, solitary bees |seed, fiber |2-modest | | |
| Sunflower
|Helianthus annuus |Bumblebees, solitary bees, honey bees |seed |2-modest |1 |temperate |
| Flax
|Linum usitatissimum |Honey bees, bumblebees, solitary bees |seed |1-little | |temperate |
| Lychee
|Litchi chinensis |fruit |1-little | | |
| Lupine
|Honey bees, bumblebees, solitary bees |seed | | |temperate |
| Macadamia
|Macadamia ternifolia |Honey bees, stingless bees (Trigona carbonaria), solitary bees (Homalictus spp.), wasps, butterflies |nut |4-essential | |tropical |
| Acerola
|Malpighia glabra |fruit (minor commercial value) | | | |
| Apple
|Malus domestica or Malus sylvestris |Honey bees, orchard mason bee, bumblebees, solitary bees (Andrena spp., Halictus spp., Osmia spp., Anthophora spp.), hover flies (Eristalis cerealis, Eristalis tenax) |fruit |3-great | 1, 2 semi dwarf, 3 dwarf |temperate |
| Mammee apple
|Mammea americana |Bees |fruit |2-modest | |tropical |
| Mango
|Mangifera indica |Honey bees, stingless bees, bumblebees, flies, ants, wasps, stinkbugs, beetles, flower thrips, fruit bats, wind{{Cite journal|last1=Ramírez |first1=F |last2=Davenport |first2=T.L.| date=March 2016 |title=Mango (Mangifera indica L.) pollination: A review. |journal=Scientia Horticulturae | doi=10.1016/j.scienta.2016.03.011 }} |fruit |3-great | |sub-tropical |
| Alfalfa
|Medicago sativa |Alfalfa leafcutter bee, alkali bee, honey bees |seed | |1 |temperate |
| Rambutan
|Nephelium lappaceum |Honey bees, stingless bees, flies |fruit | 1-little | |tropical |
| prickly pear
|Opuntia spp. |fruit |2-modest | | |
| Sainfoin
|Onobrychis spp. |seed | | |temperate |
| Passion fruit
|Passiflora edulis |Carpenter bees, solitary bees, bumblebees, hummingbirds |fruit |4-essential | |tropical |
| Avocado
|Persea americana |Stingless bees, solitary bees, honey bees |fruit |3-great | | |
| Lima bean, kidney bean, haricot bean, adzuki bean, mungo bean, string bean, green bean
|Phaseolus spp. |fruit, seed |1-little | | |
| Scarlet runner bean
|Phaseolus coccineus L. |Bumblebees, honey bees, solitary bees, thrips |seed | | | |
| Allspice
|Pimenta dioica |Honey bees, solitary bees (Halictus spp., Exomalopsis spp., Ceratina spp.) |fruit |3-great | | |
| Apricot
|Prunus armeniaca |Honey bees, bumblebees, solitary bees, flies |fruit |3-great |1 |temperate |
| Sweet cherry
|Prunus avium spp. |Honey bees, bumblebees, solitary bees, flies |fruit |3-great | |temperate |
| Sour cherry
|Prunus cerasus |Honey bees, bumblebees, solitary bees, flies |fruit |3-great | |temperate |
| Plum, greengage, mirabelle, sloe
|Prunus domestica, Prunus spinosa |Honey bees, bumblebees, solitary bees, flies |fruit |3-great |1 |temperate |
| Almond
|Prunus dulcis, Prunus amygdalus, or Amygdalus communis |Honey bees, bumblebees, solitary bees (Osmia cornuta), flies |nut |3-great |2-3 |temperate |
| Peach, nectarine
|Prunus persica |Honey bees, bumblebees, solitary bees, flies |fruit |3-great |1 |temperate |
| Guava
|Psidium guajava |Honey bees, stingless bees, bumblebees, solitary bees (Lasioglossum spp.) |fruit |2-modest | |tropical |
| Pomegranate
|Punica granatum |Honey bees, solitary bees, beetles |fruit |2-modest | | |
| Pear
|Pyrus communis |Honey bees, bumblebees, solitary bees, hover flies (Eristalis spp.) |fruit |3-great |1 |temperate |
| Black currant, red currant
|Ribes nigrum, Ribes rubrum |Honey bees, bumblebees, solitary bees |fruit |2-modest | |temperate |
| Rose hips, dogroses
|Rosa spp. |Honey bees, bumblebees, carpenter bees, solitary bees, hover flies | |3-great | |temperate |
| Boysenberry
|Rubus spp. |Honey bees, bumblebees, solitary bees |fruit | | |temperate |
| Raspberry
|Rubus idaeus |Honey bees, bumblebees, solitary bees, hover flies (Eristalis spp.) |fruit |3-great |1 |temperate |
| Blackberry
|Rubus fruticosus |Honey bees, bumblebees, solitary bees, hover flies (Eristalis spp.) |fruit |3-great | |temperate |
| Elderberry
|Sambucus nigra |Honey bees, solitary bees, flies, longhorn beetles |fruit |2-modest | |temperate |
| Sesame
|Sesamum indicum |Honey bees, solitary bees, wasps, flies |seed |2-modest | | |
| Eggplant
|Solanum melongena |fruit |2-modest (pollinators important in green houses, but less in open fields) | |temperate |
| Naranjilla
|Solanum quitoense |fruit |3-great | |tropical |
| Rowanberry
|Sorbus aucuparia |Honey bees, solitary bees, bumblebees, hover flies |fruit |4-essential | |temperate |
| Service tree
|Sorbus domestica |fruit |2-modest | | |
| Hog plum
|Spondias spp. |Honey bees, stingless bees (Melipona spp.) |fruit |1-little | | |
| Tamarind
|Tamarindus indica |Honey bees (incl. Apis dorsata) |fruit |1-little | | |
| Clover (not all species)
|Trifolium spp. |Honey bees, bumblebees, solitary bees |seed | |1 |temperate |
| White clover
|Trifolium alba |Honey bees, bumblebees, solitary bees |seed | |1 |temperate |
| Alsike clover
|Trifolium hybridum L. |Honey bees, bumblebees, solitary bees |seed | |1 |temperate |
| Crimson clover
|Trifolium incarnatum |Honey bees, bumblebees, solitary bees |seed | |1 | |
| Red clover
|Trifolium pratense |Honey bees, bumblebees, solitary bees |seed | |1 |temperate |
| Arrowleaf clover
|Honey bees, bumblebees, solitary bees |seed | |1 |temperate |
| Blueberry
|Vaccinium spp. |Alfalfa leafcutter bees, southeastern blueberry bee, bumblebees (Bombus impatiens), solitary bees (Anthophora pilipes, Colletes spp., Osmia ribifloris, Osmia lignaria), honey bees |fruit |3-great |3-4 |temperate |
| Cranberry
|Vaccinium oxycoccus, Vaccinium macrocarpon |Bumblebees (Bombus affinis), solitary bees (Megachile addenda, alfalfa leafcutter bees), honey bees |fruit | |3 |temperate |
| Broad bean
|Vicia faba |Honey bees, bumblebees, solitary bees |seed |2-modest | | |
| Vetch
|Vicia spp. |Honey bees, bumblebees, solitary bees |seed | | |temperate |
| Cowpea, black-eyed pea, blackeye bean
|Vigna unguiculata |Honey bees, bumblebees, solitary bees |seed |1-little | | |
| Karite, shea
|nut |2-modest | |temperate |
| Tomato
|Solanum lycopersicum |Bumblebees, solitary bees (Halictus spp.) |fruit |2-modest (important for commercial crop yield) | |temperate, tropical |
| Grape
|Vitis spp. |Honey bees, solitary bees, flies |fruit |1-little | |temperate |
| Jujube
|Ziziphus jujuba |Honey bees, solitary bees, flies, beetles, wasps |fruit |2-modest | |
See also
References
{{reflist}}
- [http://maarec.cas.psu.edu/PDFs/Pollination_PM.pdf Pollination] Mid-Atlantic Apicultural Research and Extension Consortium, MAAREC Publication 5.2; February 2000
- [https://web.archive.org/web/20070930020735/http://gears.tucson.ars.ag.gov/beeclass/Pollination.pdf Pollination and Bee Plants], Excerpted from Beekeeper's Handbook, Sammataro/Avitabile ©1998.
=Further reading=
- Krombein KV, Hurd PD Jr., Smith DR (eds.). Catalog of Hymenoptera in America North of Mexico, Volume 3, Smithsonian Institution Press, 1979
- McGregor, S.E. [http://gears.tucson.ars.ag.gov/book/ Insect Pollination Of Cultivated Crop Plants] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230326235745/http://gears.tucson.ars.ag.gov/book/ |date=2023-03-26 }} USDA, 1976
{{DEFAULTSORT:Crop Plants Pollinated By Bees}}