Overview of Bee Pollination and Its Economic Value for Crop Production

doi:10.3390/insects12080688

Review

. 2021 Jul 31;12(8):688.

doi: 10.3390/insects12080688.

Overview of Bee Pollination and Its Economic Value for Crop Production

Shaden A M Khalifa¹, Esraa H Elshafiey², Aya A Shetaia², Aida A Abd El-Wahed³, Ahmed F Algethami⁴, Syed G Musharraf⁵, Mohamed F AlAjmi⁶, Chao Zhao⁷, Saad H D Masry^{8

9}, Mohamed M Abdel-Daim¹⁰, Mohammed F Halabi¹¹, Guoyin Kai¹², Yahya Al Naggar^{13

14}, Mokhtar Bishr¹⁵, Mohamed A M Diab¹⁶, Hesham R El-Seedi^{2

17

18}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Molecular Biosciences, The Wenner-Gren Institute, Stockholm University, S-10691 Stockholm, Sweden.
² Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Menoufia University, Shebin El-Kom 32512, Egypt.
³ Agricultural Research Centre, Department of Bee Research, Plant Protection Research Institute, Giza 12627, Egypt.
⁴ Alnahalaljwal Foundation Saudi Arabia, P.O. Box 617, Al Jumum 21926, Makkah, Saudi Arabia.
⁵ International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, H.E.J. Research Institute of Chemistry, University of Karachi, Karachi 75270, Pakistan.
⁶ Department of Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia.
⁷ College of Food Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China.
⁸ Department of Plant Protection and Biomolecular Diagnosis, Arid Lands Cultivation Research Institute (ALCRI), City of Scientific Research and Technological Applications, New Borg El-Arab City P.O. Box 21934, Egypt.
⁹ Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority (ADAFSA), Al Ain 52150, United Arab Emirates.
¹⁰ Pharmacology Department, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Suez Canal University, Ismailia 41522, Egypt.
¹¹ Al-Rayan Research and Innovation Center, Al-Rayan Colleges, Medina 42541, Saudi Arabia.
¹² Laboratory of Medicinal Plant Biotechnology, College of Pharmacy, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, China.
¹³ General Zoology, Institute for Biology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Hoher Weg 8, 06120 Halle, Germany.
¹⁴ Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Tanta University, Tanta 31527, Egypt.
¹⁵ Arab Company for Pharmaceuticals and Medicinal Plants, (Mepaco-Medifood), El-Sharqiya 11361, Egypt.
¹⁶ EWG Company, Menoufia, Shebin El-Kom 32512, Egypt.
¹⁷ Pharmacognosy Group, Biomedical Centre, Department of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, Uppsala University, P.O. Box 591, SE 75124 Uppsala, Sweden.
¹⁸ International Research Center for Food Nutrition and Safety, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China.

PMID: 34442255
PMCID: PMC8396518
DOI: 10.3390/insects12080688

Review

Overview of Bee Pollination and Its Economic Value for Crop Production

Shaden A M Khalifa et al. Insects. 2021.

. 2021 Jul 31;12(8):688.

doi: 10.3390/insects12080688.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Department of Molecular Biosciences, The Wenner-Gren Institute, Stockholm University, S-10691 Stockholm, Sweden.
² Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Menoufia University, Shebin El-Kom 32512, Egypt.
³ Agricultural Research Centre, Department of Bee Research, Plant Protection Research Institute, Giza 12627, Egypt.
⁴ Alnahalaljwal Foundation Saudi Arabia, P.O. Box 617, Al Jumum 21926, Makkah, Saudi Arabia.
⁵ International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences, H.E.J. Research Institute of Chemistry, University of Karachi, Karachi 75270, Pakistan.
⁶ Department of Pharmacognosy, College of Pharmacy, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia.
⁷ College of Food Science, Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University, Fuzhou 350002, China.
⁸ Department of Plant Protection and Biomolecular Diagnosis, Arid Lands Cultivation Research Institute (ALCRI), City of Scientific Research and Technological Applications, New Borg El-Arab City P.O. Box 21934, Egypt.
⁹ Abu Dhabi Agriculture and Food Safety Authority (ADAFSA), Al Ain 52150, United Arab Emirates.
¹⁰ Pharmacology Department, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Suez Canal University, Ismailia 41522, Egypt.
¹¹ Al-Rayan Research and Innovation Center, Al-Rayan Colleges, Medina 42541, Saudi Arabia.
¹² Laboratory of Medicinal Plant Biotechnology, College of Pharmacy, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, China.
¹³ General Zoology, Institute for Biology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Hoher Weg 8, 06120 Halle, Germany.
¹⁴ Zoology Department, Faculty of Science, Tanta University, Tanta 31527, Egypt.
¹⁵ Arab Company for Pharmaceuticals and Medicinal Plants, (Mepaco-Medifood), El-Sharqiya 11361, Egypt.
¹⁶ EWG Company, Menoufia, Shebin El-Kom 32512, Egypt.
¹⁷ Pharmacognosy Group, Biomedical Centre, Department of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, Uppsala University, P.O. Box 591, SE 75124 Uppsala, Sweden.
¹⁸ International Research Center for Food Nutrition and Safety, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China.

PMID: 34442255
PMCID: PMC8396518
DOI: 10.3390/insects12080688

Abstract

Pollination plays a significant role in the agriculture sector and serves as a basic pillar for crop production. Plants depend on vectors to move pollen, which can include water, wind, and animal pollinators like bats, moths, hoverflies, birds, bees, butterflies, wasps, thrips, and beetles. Cultivated plants are typically pollinated by animals. Animal-based pollination contributes to 30% of global food production, and bee-pollinated crops contribute to approximately one-third of the total human dietary supply. Bees are considered significant pollinators due to their effectiveness and wide availability. Bee pollination provides excellent value to crop quality and quantity, improving global economic and dietary outcomes. This review highlights the role played by bee pollination, which influences the economy, and enlists the different types of bees and other insects associated with pollination.

Keywords: bee visitation; bees pollination; challenges; crop production; economic; impact.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

**Figure 1**
Factors that influence bee visitation.

**Figure 2**
Challenges faced in bee pollination.

See this image and copyright information in PMC

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References

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1. Breeze T.D., Bailey A.P., Balcombe K.G., Potts S.G. Pollination services in the UK: How important are honeybees? Agric. Ecosyst. Environ. 2011;142:137–143. doi: 10.1016/j.agee.2011.03.020. - DOI
1. Hristov P., Neov B., Shumkova R., Palova N. Significance of apoidea as main pollinators. Ecological and economic impact and implications for human nutrition. Diversity. 2020;12:280. doi: 10.3390/d12070280. - DOI
1. Sukumaran A., Khanduri V.P., Sharma C.M. Pollinator-mediated self-pollination and reproductive assurance in an isolated tree of Magnolia grandiflora L. Ecol. Process. 2020;9:45–53. doi: 10.1186/s13717-020-00254-5. - DOI
1. García-Breijo F., Armiñana J.R., Garmendia A., Cebrián N., Beltrán R., Merle H. In vivo pollen tube growth and evidence of self-pollination and prefloral anthesis in cv. Macabeo (Vitis vinifera L.) Agriculture. 2020;10:647. doi: 10.3390/agriculture10120647. - DOI

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[1] Gill R.J., Baldock K.C., Brown M.J., Cresswell J.E., Dicks L.V., Fountain M.T., Garratt M.P., Gough L.A., Heard M.S., Holland J.M.O.J. Protecting an ecosystem service: Approaches to understanding and mitigating threats to wild insect pollinators. Adv. Ecol. Res. 2016;54:135–206. doi: 10.1016/bs.aecr.2015.10.007. - DOI

[2] Gill R.J., Baldock K.C., Brown M.J., Cresswell J.E., Dicks L.V., Fountain M.T., Garratt M.P., Gough L.A., Heard M.S., Holland J.M.O.J. Protecting an ecosystem service: Approaches to understanding and mitigating threats to wild insect pollinators. Adv. Ecol. Res. 2016;54:135–206. doi: 10.1016/bs.aecr.2015.10.007. - DOI

[3] Breeze T.D., Bailey A.P., Balcombe K.G., Potts S.G. Pollination services in the UK: How important are honeybees? Agric. Ecosyst. Environ. 2011;142:137–143. doi: 10.1016/j.agee.2011.03.020. - DOI

[4] Breeze T.D., Bailey A.P., Balcombe K.G., Potts S.G. Pollination services in the UK: How important are honeybees? Agric. Ecosyst. Environ. 2011;142:137–143. doi: 10.1016/j.agee.2011.03.020. - DOI

[5] Hristov P., Neov B., Shumkova R., Palova N. Significance of apoidea as main pollinators. Ecological and economic impact and implications for human nutrition. Diversity. 2020;12:280. doi: 10.3390/d12070280. - DOI

[6] Hristov P., Neov B., Shumkova R., Palova N. Significance of apoidea as main pollinators. Ecological and economic impact and implications for human nutrition. Diversity. 2020;12:280. doi: 10.3390/d12070280. - DOI

[7] Sukumaran A., Khanduri V.P., Sharma C.M. Pollinator-mediated self-pollination and reproductive assurance in an isolated tree of Magnolia grandiflora L. Ecol. Process. 2020;9:45–53. doi: 10.1186/s13717-020-00254-5. - DOI

[8] Sukumaran A., Khanduri V.P., Sharma C.M. Pollinator-mediated self-pollination and reproductive assurance in an isolated tree of Magnolia grandiflora L. Ecol. Process. 2020;9:45–53. doi: 10.1186/s13717-020-00254-5. - DOI

[9] García-Breijo F., Armiñana J.R., Garmendia A., Cebrián N., Beltrán R., Merle H. In vivo pollen tube growth and evidence of self-pollination and prefloral anthesis in cv. Macabeo (Vitis vinifera L.) Agriculture. 2020;10:647. doi: 10.3390/agriculture10120647. - DOI

[10] García-Breijo F., Armiñana J.R., Garmendia A., Cebrián N., Beltrán R., Merle H. In vivo pollen tube growth and evidence of self-pollination and prefloral anthesis in cv. Macabeo (Vitis vinifera L.) Agriculture. 2020;10:647. doi: 10.3390/agriculture10120647. - DOI

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Overview of Bee Pollination and Its Economic Value for Crop Production

Affiliations

Overview of Bee Pollination and Its Economic Value for Crop Production

Authors

Affiliations

Abstract

Conflict of interest statement

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References

Publication types

Grants and funding

LinkOut - more resources

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