Optimisation of pollination in protected cropping environments

December 2022 | Presented by Dr Katja Hogendoorn | Future Orchards® short video

This short Future Orchards® presentation examines how protected cropping environments, particularly netted orchards, change pollinator behaviour and therefore influence pollination outcomes. It draws attention to the trade-offs created by netting: bees may be retained closer to the crop, but colony health and normal foraging behaviour can also be affected.

The broader research message is that pollination performance depends on hive placement, access in and out of netted blocks, the availability of alternative floral resources and the behaviour of both managed honey bees and wild pollinators. Growers need to consider the whole pollination environment rather than hive numbers alone.

The resource supports practical planning around net configuration, hive positioning and supporting pollinator health so that protected orchards can achieve reliable fruit set without compromising the bees providing that service.