Empleo del abejorro “Bombus Terrestris, l.” en la polinización de cultivos hortícolas protegidos del sureste español para mejorar la productividad y calidad de la cosecha

Abstract

The highest density of European protected cultured crops occurs in Almeria province at the Southeast region of Spain. Greenhouses allow “off-season” productions that achieve higher economic benefits than other agricultural production systems. Although protected horticulture is highly technified there is room for more amelioration of the crop techniques by studying some of the more complicated physiological and ecological processes, such as the insect pollination. In this thesis it has been assessed the efficiency of the bumblebee, Bombus terrestris, as a pollinator in zucchini and peppers crops, studying some features of their blooming biology and its relation with the pollinator. The results show bumblebees as efficient pollinator of these crops, improving fruit quality. Because most of the horticultural crops belong to Solanaceae and Cucurbitaceae families, it is concluded that bumblebees are good pollinators for the rest of the protected horticultural crops.