Serviços de polinização e manejo de polinizadores do Maracujá- Amarelo (Passiflora edulis f. flavicarpa Deneger)

Abstract

Pollination is one of the main ecosystem services as it ensures both the maintenance of genetic variability among plant species, and the production and quality of many crops. Bee species stands out as the main pollinators because adults and immatures depend on pollen and nectar as food resource and for presenting floral constancy during foraging. Among crop species, yellow passion fruit (Passiflora edulis Sims f. flavicarpa Degener) is a self-incompatible species that depends on large Xylocopa bees for fruit production. These bees present appropriate size and foraging behavior for yellow passion fruit pollination and a high potential for management. Considering the importance of pollination services and the need to design mitigation strategies to pollination deficits in yellow passion fruit crop, the overall aim of the thesis is to study, through different approaches, pollination services provided by bees and the pollinator management of yellow passion fruit to increase quality and agricultural production. Data analysis, through a meta-analysis, regarding agricultural production in crops with different pollination dependency levels, demonstrated a similar contribution of Apis mellifera and native bees to agricultural production, indicating that the management of these species according to crop type can ensure the maintenance of pollination services. The management of the solitary bees Xylocopa frontalis and X. grisescens was an efficient technique to minimize pollination deficit in passion fruit crops, as it promoted an increase in pollinator density, a decline in visitation by thieves and a significant increase in the number and quality of fruits. Based on pollen analysis of larval food samples of X. frontalis in breeding areas and passion fruit crop areas it was possible to establish the differentiated food niche breath, the low similarity and the shift in pollen sources between the study areas, which suggest that this pollinator species is highly plastic regarding pollen collection and confirming the high potential for the management of this species. The conservation of pollinators is a priority in a scenario of land use intensification combined with the reduction of natural vegetation, therefore, the results of this study contributes to consolidate the management techniques of yellow passion fruit pollinators and the sustainable use of Xylocopa bees to increase the quality and agricultural production.