The impact of lowbush blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium Ait.) and cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon Ait.) pollination on honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) colony health status

PLoS One. 2020 Jan 24;15(1):e0227970. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0227970. eCollection 2020.

Abstract

Commercial lowbush blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium Ait.) and cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon Ait.) crops benefit from the presence of honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) for pollination. Unfortunately, beekeepers are observing negative impacts of pollination services on honey bee colonies. In this study, we investigated three beekeeping management strategies (MS) and measured their impact on honey bee colony health and development. Experimental groups (five colonies/MS) were: A) Control farmland honey producing MS (control MS); B) Blueberry pollination MS (blueberry MS); C) Cranberry pollination MS (cranberry MS) and D) Double pollination MS, blueberry followed by cranberry (double MS). Our goals were to 1) compare floral abundance and attractiveness of foraging areas to honey bees between apiaries using a Geographic Information System, and 2) compare honey bee colony health status and population development between MS during a complete beekeeping season. Our results show significantly lower floral abundance and honey bee attractiveness of foraging areas during cranberry pollination compared to the other environments. The blueberry pollination site seemed to significantly reduce brood population in the colonies who provided those services (blueberry MS and double MS). The cranberry pollination site seemed to significantly reduce colony weight gain (cranberry MS and double MS) and induce a significantly higher winter mortality rate (cranberry MS). We also measured significantly higher levels of Black queen cell virus and Sacbrood virus in the MS providing cranberry pollination (cranberry MS and double MS).

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Agriculture
  • Animals
  • Beekeeping / standards
  • Bees / physiology*
  • Bees / virology
  • Blueberry Plants / chemistry*
  • Blueberry Plants / growth & development
  • Dicistroviridae / pathogenicity
  • Flowers / chemistry
  • Flowers / growth & development
  • Fruit / chemistry
  • Fruit / growth & development
  • Humans
  • Pollination / physiology*
  • RNA Viruses / pathogenicity
  • Vaccinium macrocarpon / chemistry*
  • Vaccinium macrocarpon / growth & development

Supplementary concepts

  • Black queen cell virus
  • Sacbrood virus

Grants and funding

PG received a research grant from Bayer Crop Science. Bayer Crop Science participated in the initial study design but was not involved in the final study design nor the data collection, data analysis, decision to publish and preparation of manuscript. PG did not receive any other support from Bayer Crop Science. No additional external funding was received for this study.