Department of Agriculture, Western Australia

Bee pollination benefits for citrus crops

Extract from Bulletin 4298: Honeybee pollination

Citrus spp.

Oranges: C. sinensis
Mandarins: C. reticulata
Grapefruit: C. paradisi
Lemons: C. limon
Limes: C. aurantifolia
Cumquats: C. fortunella spp.
Tangelo (mandarin x grapefruit)

Flowering:

About 20 days.

Hives per hectare:

10 to 20/10 ha (Qld), 1 to 2 (Qld).

Nectar production:

Some citrus do not produce pollen or honey, but others can yield copious quantities of nectar when environmental conditions are favourable.

Honey production:

Very light amber, good flavour. 8 to 15 kg honey can be collected from crop (China).

Review of bee pollination benefits:

The literature contains conflicting reports on the need for bees in some citrus varieties. It is therefore difficult to make generalisations. Depending on the variety and conditions at the site, honeybee pollination may increase fruit set, fruit size and seed number.

• 31 per cent increase in fruit set.
• 22 per cent increase in fruit weight.
• 33 per cent increase in fruit juice.
• 36 per cent increase in number of seeds.
Increased yields of 10 to 15 per cent for C. relata (China).
• For C. sinensis variety Pera-Rio, honeybees represented 57 per cent of the recorded visitors (Brazil).
• For C. sinensis variety Valencia, honeybees represented 98.2 per cent of the recorded visitors (Brazil).
• For C. sinensis variety Natal, honeybees represented 99.4 per cent of the recorded visitors (Brazil).
• Citrus do not require cross-pollination, for example, Washington Navels, grapefruit.

A grower's experience at Serpentine: Twenty bee hives placed on 40 acres increased the orange crop by 2000 cases.

Page reviewed: March 2006