Natural pollination of Expoáguilas crops
Tomato benefits
July 13, 2023
The history of the tomato: From its origins to our fields
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Natural pollination of Expoáguilas crops
At Expoáguilas we are committed to the natural pollination and fertilisation of all tomato crops. To do this, we use bumblebees of the Bombus Terrestris species. In this way we guarantee the production of high quality products in a 100% natural way.
We use the bumblebee for this process and not the bees because the tomato flower lacks nectar, the bees’ food, and the bumblebees need the pollen as a source of protein for their young. BioMip is the brand we trust and work with on our crops.
Bumblebees have advantages over honeybees when used for pollination:
- They do not require qualified personnel for handling.
- They are less aggressive, so stings are rare.
- They can work in adverse weather conditions.
How does this pollination process take place?
The bumblebee bites into the androcecium, the stamen tube, by digging its mandibles into it and vibrating its body. With its abdomen it covers the exit of the stamens so that the pollen that is being released sticks to the hairs on its body. With the bumblebee, nothing is wasted, and it smoothes out all the hairs to make them flat. The mission ends when it performs the same operation on another flower.
The factors that affect the setting of pollen are high temperatures, since if the daytime temperature exceeds 35ºC and the nighttime temperature exceeds 25ºC, the number of pollen grains is reduced. Relative humidity also has an effect, as it causes the pollen to become compacted, which makes pollination more difficult. In addition, low humidity causes the pollen to dry out before germination. Another factor is fertilisation, because if the plant does not have a balanced nutrition it can lead to poor flowering and fruit set. Finally, the health of the plant is the key factor in this process and keeping it away from thrips.
At Expoáguilas, we are committed to the naturalness of our products and to carrying out the process in the most sustainable way possible to achieve an efficient and responsible result.
