What is in this article?:
- Self-compatible almond varieties to eliminate bees?
- Why we will still need bees
- ABC commitment to bee research
- Over time, the introduction of successful self-compatible varieties will reduce, but not eliminate, reliance on bees.
- History shows that few new varieties are successful.
- It will take a number of years for a successful self-compatible variety to transition into industry production.
Why we will still need bees
Because of the size and nature of almond pollen and the arrangement of almond flower parts, almond pollen does not move consistently from the anthers, where it is produced, to the stigma, where the steps to fertilization are initiated. In essence, almond blossoms need a transfer agent, such as bees. With self-compatible varieties there will be reduced reliance on bees, as successful pollen transfer can occur within the same flower — in addition to transfer between trees of different varieties and between bees within the hive, as is the case now. This is in contrast to the current orchard plantings where pollen must be either transferred between trees of different varieties or must be intermixed in the hive.
Additionally, history tells us that few new varieties are successful. Success will be measured in other ways in addition to self-compatibility. There are a number of horticultural characteristics (e.g., yield over the long term, bloom overlap, tree structure, pest and disease resistances) and market characteristics (e.g., kernel quality, market type, blanchability, flavor, doubling, shell properties) that determine success. Furthermore, it takes several years of testing at different locations and field experience to determine the value of a new variety.
A third issue is that it will take a number of years for a successful self-compatible variety, or varieties, to transition into industry production, given the typical 20–25 year lifespan of almond orchards.