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. 2024 Jun 27;14(1):14869.
doi: 10.1038/s41598-024-64283-2.

The positive impact of honeybee activity on fennel crop production and sustainability

Mahmoud Abbas Ali  1 , Ammar Al-Farga  2 , M A Seddik  3
Affiliations

The positive impact of honeybee activity on fennel crop production and sustainability

Mahmoud Abbas Ali et al. Sci Rep. .

Abstract

This study investigates the ecological interaction between honeybees (Apis mellifera) and fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) plants, examining the mutual benefits of this relationship. Field experiments conducted in Egypt from December 2022 to May 2023 recorded diverse insect pollinators attracted to fennel flowers, especially honeybees. Assessing honeybee colonies near fennel fields showed improvements in sealed brood (357.5-772.5 cells), unsealed brood (176.3-343.8 cells), pollen collection (53.25-257.5 units), honey accumulation (257.5-877.5 units), and colony strength (7.75-10) over three weeks. Fennel exposure explained 88-99% of variability in foraging metrics. Comparing open versus self-pollinated fennel revealed enhanced attributes with bee pollination, including higher flower age (25.67 vs 19.67 days), more seeds per umbel (121.3 vs 95.33), bigger seeds (6.533 vs 4.400 mm), heavier seeds (0.510 vs 0.237 g/100 seeds), and increased fruit weight per umbel (0.619 vs 0.226 g). Natural variation in seed color and shape also occurred. The outcomes demonstrate the integral role of honeybees in fennel agroecosystems through efficient pollination services that improve crop productivity and quality. Fennel provides abundant nutritional resources that bolster honeybee colony health. This research elucidates the symbiotic bee-fennel relationship, underscoring mutualistic benefits and the importance of ecological conservation for sustainable agriculture.

Keywords: Foeniculum vulgare; Agroecosystems; Apis mellifera; Crop production; Egypt; Food crops; Food production; Fruit weight; Funnel; Honeybees; Insect pollination; Reproductive success; Self-pollination.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no competing interests.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Relationship between fennel plant exposure and bee colony parameters.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Relationship between fennel plant and bee foraging behavior (A), and food storage (B).
Figure 3
Figure 3
Effects of fennel plant on bee colony brood area (inch2).
Figure 4
Figure 4
Increased honey accumulation in bee colonies with fennel: 3-week.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Enhanced colony strength with fennel exposure: impact over 3 weeks.
Figure 6
Figure 6
Comparison of fennel flower age and seed counts: apis vs. self-pollinated variants.
Figure 7
Figure 7
Differences in seed size and weight between bee-pollinated and self-pollinated fennel seeds.
Figure 8
Figure 8
Differences in seed size and weight between bee-pollinated and self-pollinated fennel seeds.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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