Effect of pollination on fruit set and quality of sweet cherry (<i>Prunus avium </i>L.) in Kashmir Valley, India

Pollinators play a crucial role in the reproduction of cherries, ensuring successful fruit set and enhancing the quality and yield of cherries. The study aimed to highlight the crucial role of insect pollinators in enhancing the fruit set and quality of sweet cherries (Prunus avium L.) in orchards of the Kashmir Valley, with significant implications for sustainable horticultural practices. Utilizing a Randomized Block Design (RBD) with six treatments and three replications, the contributions of three key pollinators Apis mellifera, Apis cerana, and Eristalis tenax were systematically evaluated. While all pollination treatments resulted in 100% fruit set, notable differences in fruit quality were observed based on pollinator species and visit frequency. A. mellifera emerged as the most effective pollinator, attributed to its high foraging rate (1.65 flowers per second) and strong fidelity. It produced the largest fruits (18.00 mm), highest fruit weight (8.82 g), lowest acidity (1.12% citric acid), and highest TSS (17.90°Brix). A. cerana also contributed significantly, particularly under multiple visit scenarios, yielding fruit size of 17.10 mm, weight of 7.22 g, acidity of 1.44%, and total soluble solids (TSS) of 16.57°Brix. Though E. tenax exhibited lower efficiency, it still played a supplemental role, improving fruit characteristics moderately with repeated visits. Foraging efficiency, measured as time spent per flower, further reinforced the dominance of A. mellifera (8.34 seconds/minute/flower) over A. cerana (9.38 seconds/minute/flower) and E. tenax (11.34 seconds/flower).