The effects of insect pollinators on fruit set of Golab cultivar apple in Shiraz

This research was carried out in order to understand the pollination efficiency of pollinators in fruit set percentage, and distinguish cross pollination status in Golab apple cultivar, in two orchards located in Shiraz, Iran during mid February to end of September, 2009. In orchard 1 with no honey bee hive, 24 flowering branches containing similar inflorescences were covered withcylinder cages made from fabric net. In blossom stage 3 females of honey bees were released into the cages for pollinating as treatment a. In second treatment (treatment b), to prevent cross pollination, flowers were covered with special cage. In control treatment, flowers exposed for natural pollination. In second orchard which had two honey bee hives, 24 flowering branches were covered by special cage to prevent from cross pollination and in check treatment flowers exposed to open pollination. Analysis of variance in fruit setting in the first orchard showed a significant difference setting. The means of fruit set in treatment a (flowers covered with net cages), treatment b (flowers covered with special cage) and control (open pollination) were 54%, 7.2 % and 20.4% respectively. The means of fruit set in the orchard 2 for control and other treatment were 51% and 1.6%, respectively. It is concluded it is recommend to use honey bee to increase Golab apple production.