Centridini Bees as Manageable Pollinators of West Indian Cherry (Malpighia emarginata, Malpighiaceae) Orchards in Southeast Brazil

The West Indian cherry (Malpighia emarginata), commonly referred to as “Acerola”, has attracted particular interest due to its high vitamin C content in the fruit. One of the limitations observed in Acerola crops is their dependence on cross-pollination, which is usually performed by Centris specie...

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Main Authors: Diego Moure-Oliveira, Reinanda Lima, Morgana S. Sazan, Cláudia Inês Silva, Carlos A. Garófalo
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Universidade Estadual de Feira de Santana 2025-07-01
Series:Sociobiology
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Online Access:https://periodicos.uefs.br/index.php/sociobiology/article/view/11415
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author Diego Moure-Oliveira
Reinanda Lima
Morgana S. Sazan
Cláudia Inês Silva
Carlos A. Garófalo
author_facet Diego Moure-Oliveira
Reinanda Lima
Morgana S. Sazan
Cláudia Inês Silva
Carlos A. Garófalo
author_sort Diego Moure-Oliveira
collection DOAJ
description The West Indian cherry (Malpighia emarginata), commonly referred to as “Acerola”, has attracted particular interest due to its high vitamin C content in the fruit. One of the limitations observed in Acerola crops is their dependence on cross-pollination, which is usually performed by Centris species. This study investigated the occupation of trap-nests in an Acerola orchard by bees of the genus Centris to identify species that could be indicated as providers of pollination services in these orchards. Centris analis and Centris tarsata, the species occupying the traps, displayed a seasonal pattern in their nesting activities, with the highest frequencies aligning with the peaks of the crop’s flowering. Both bees explored 48 plant species, with M. emarginata being the most important pollen source and floral oil, primarily for C. analis. The high preference observed in the diet of C. analis and the seasonal pattern in the nesting activity of C. tarsata indicate that both species are effective pollinators of M. emarginata crops.
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issn 0361-6525
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language English
publishDate 2025-07-01
publisher Universidade Estadual de Feira de Santana
record_format Article
series Sociobiology
spelling doaj-art-d58d7f1003074d1dbce2d20e8aaff8782025-08-20T03:19:00ZengUniversidade Estadual de Feira de SantanaSociobiology0361-65252447-80672025-07-0172310.13102/sociobiology.v72i3.11415Centridini Bees as Manageable Pollinators of West Indian Cherry (Malpighia emarginata, Malpighiaceae) Orchards in Southeast BrazilDiego Moure-Oliveira0Reinanda Lima1Morgana S. Sazan2Cláudia Inês Silva3Carlos A. Garófalo4Departamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto-SP, BrazilDepartamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto-SP, BrazilDepartamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto-SP, BrazilPrograma de Pós-Graduação em Biodiversidade e Evolução, Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi, Belém-PA, BrazilDepartamento de Biologia, Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirão Preto-SP, Brazil The West Indian cherry (Malpighia emarginata), commonly referred to as “Acerola”, has attracted particular interest due to its high vitamin C content in the fruit. One of the limitations observed in Acerola crops is their dependence on cross-pollination, which is usually performed by Centris species. This study investigated the occupation of trap-nests in an Acerola orchard by bees of the genus Centris to identify species that could be indicated as providers of pollination services in these orchards. Centris analis and Centris tarsata, the species occupying the traps, displayed a seasonal pattern in their nesting activities, with the highest frequencies aligning with the peaks of the crop’s flowering. Both bees explored 48 plant species, with M. emarginata being the most important pollen source and floral oil, primarily for C. analis. The high preference observed in the diet of C. analis and the seasonal pattern in the nesting activity of C. tarsata indicate that both species are effective pollinators of M. emarginata crops. https://periodicos.uefs.br/index.php/sociobiology/article/view/11415agriculturepollinationCentrissolitary beesnest substrate availability
spellingShingle Diego Moure-Oliveira
Reinanda Lima
Morgana S. Sazan
Cláudia Inês Silva
Carlos A. Garófalo
Centridini Bees as Manageable Pollinators of West Indian Cherry (Malpighia emarginata, Malpighiaceae) Orchards in Southeast Brazil
Sociobiology
agriculture
pollination
Centris
solitary bees
nest substrate availability
title Centridini Bees as Manageable Pollinators of West Indian Cherry (Malpighia emarginata, Malpighiaceae) Orchards in Southeast Brazil
title_full Centridini Bees as Manageable Pollinators of West Indian Cherry (Malpighia emarginata, Malpighiaceae) Orchards in Southeast Brazil
title_fullStr Centridini Bees as Manageable Pollinators of West Indian Cherry (Malpighia emarginata, Malpighiaceae) Orchards in Southeast Brazil
title_full_unstemmed Centridini Bees as Manageable Pollinators of West Indian Cherry (Malpighia emarginata, Malpighiaceae) Orchards in Southeast Brazil
title_short Centridini Bees as Manageable Pollinators of West Indian Cherry (Malpighia emarginata, Malpighiaceae) Orchards in Southeast Brazil
title_sort centridini bees as manageable pollinators of west indian cherry malpighia emarginata malpighiaceae orchards in southeast brazil
topic agriculture
pollination
Centris
solitary bees
nest substrate availability
url https://periodicos.uefs.br/index.php/sociobiology/article/view/11415
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