Coffee is an important economic crop in Yunnan, China. To investigate the effects of bee pollination on coffee production, this study examined the species of pollinating bees and the foraging behavior of dominant bee species during the coffee flowering period in Lisou, Ximeng, Yunnan. Additionally, the study evaluated and compared the fruit traits of coffee under bee pollination and control groups. The results showed that the bee species visiting coffee flowers included Apis dorsata, Apis cerana cerana, Apis florea and bumblebees (Bombus spp.), with A. dorsata and A. cerana cerana being the dominant species. A. dorsata visited coffee flowers throughout the day (from 9: 00 to 17: 00), while A. cerana cerana primarily foraged in the morning. However, the visiting duration per flower of A. cerana cerana was extremely significantly longer than that of A. dorsata (P<0.01). Introducing A. cerana cerana colonies increased the number of flower-visiting bees. Compared with the control group, the bee pollination group showed significantly higher fruit set rates, single fruit weight, seed weight, and seed number. Moreover, the fruit skins became thinner, and other traits improved, with a higher proportion of fruits reaching high maturity at harvest. The findings suggest that bee pollination can significantly improve coffee fruit traits, promote fruit maturation, and effectively enhance coffee quality. The results would provide a theoretical basis for improving coffee cultivation and productivity.
| 科 Family | 属数 Number of genus | 种数 Number of species | 占总种数比例 Percentage of total species (%) | 属 Genus | 种数 Number of species | 占总种数比例 Percentage of total species (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 鹅膏菌科Amanitaceae | 2 | 11 | 5.26 | 鹅膏菌属 Amanita | 10 | 4.78 |
| 小菇科 Mycenaceae | 2 | 12 | 5.74 | 丝盖伞属 Inocybe | 5 | 2.39 |
| 多孔菌科 Polyporaceae | 8 | 14 | 6.70 | 蜡蘑属 Laccaria | 5 | 2.39 |
| 红菇科 Russulaceae | 3 | 23 | 11.00 | 小皮伞属 Marasmius | 6 | 2.87 |
| 小菇属 Mycena | 11 | 5.26 | ||||
| 光柄菇属 Pluteus | 5 | 2.39 | ||||
| 红菇属 Russula | 17 | 8.13 | ||||
| 栓菌属 Trametes | 5 | 2.39 |