ISHS Acta Horticulturae 288: VI International Symposium on Pollination
INVESTIGATIONS ON CHESTNUT POLLINATION |
| Authors: | A. Manino, A. Patetta, F. Marletto |
| Abstract:
In 1986 and 1987, investigations were carried out in a specialized chestnut grove made of plants belonging to different cultivars: European (Castanea sativa Miller), Japanese (C. crenata Sieb. et Zucc.), and Euro-japanese hybrids. The aim of these studies was to ascertain the relative importance of wind and insect pollination for this crop. Branches of plants of the cvs Ishizuki, Tsukuba, Marigoule, Vignols, and Marrone di Luserna were caged during blossoming by means of a net having meshes that prevented the entrance of insects, but did not disturb pollen conveyance by wind. Differences between free and caged branches were statistically significative in several occasions and concerned the number of set inflorescences, of ripe burrs, and of tradable chestnuts and also the global nut weight. These results suggest that the insects observed to visit the inflorescences do not play a negligeable role in chestnut pollination; they were mainly butterflies, syrphid flies, beetles, and bees. | |
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