New Studies Show Pollination Power of Bumblebees in Avocado Orchards

Biobest has announced results of its avocado trials, demonstrating bumblebee pollination can be a solution for the complex pollination issues in avocado production.

Field trials in Spain and Turkey that were conducted in coordination with universities show that bumblebee hives consistently increase yield with 30% to 50%, without reducing average fruit size. In some cases, trees near bumblebee hives yielded over twice as many fruits as trees farther away.

“Avocado growers face the challenge of ensuring their orchards are properly pollinated for adequate fruit set,” says Jorden van de Walle, Product Manager Pollination at Biobest. “Our bumblebee hives provide a practical, proven way to boost fruit production even in tough conditions. They are not as easily distracted, fly longer hours every day and fly better in more adverse weather conditions.”

Avocado flowers need to be pollinated by an insect, and avocado flowers only open twice, once to expose the female parts of the flower, and then another time to expose the pollen. The overabundance of flowers attracts pollinators to trees, where honey bees and wasps come to drink nectar and pollinate. However, these insect pollinators don’t have a high preference for avocado flowers and are more easily distracted by attractive flowers in the vicinity of the avocado orchard.

“A 30% yield increase can translate to an additional 7 to 20 tons of fruit per hectare (2.47 acres),” adds Jorden. “For growers, that’s a significant improvement and a true game-changer.”

Biobest recommends placing 8 to 12 hives per hectare, distributed evenly throughout the orchard for maximum coverage. With strategic hive placement and reliable pollination even in cool weather, bumblebees are proving to be an essential ally for avocado growers.

For more information about bumblebee pollination in avocado and trial data, visit biobest.com.