Scientists have examined crop yields from over 1,500 fields across six continents and discovered that the global production of essential, nutrient-rich foods such as fruits, vegetables, nuts, and legumes is being hindered by a shortage of pollinators.
A research team led by scientists from Rutgers University-New Brunswick has assessed crop yields from more than 1,500 fields worldwide, finding that the shortage of pollinators is limiting the production of crucial, nutritionally dense foods like fruits, vegetables, nuts, and legumes.
The findings, published in Nature Ecology & Evolution, indicated that one-third to two-thirds of farms across various crops and regions are underperforming due to insufficient pollination by insects, a situation referred to as pollinator limitation.
This study is particularly relevant in light of growing concerns regarding the decline in insect populations globally.
“Our results raise both concerns and hopes,” stated Katie Turo, a postdoctoral fellow and co-author of the study in the Department of Ecology, Evolution and Natural Resources at Rutgers. “We observed widespread yield shortfalls, yet we also believe that ongoing investments in pollinator management and research could enhance the productivity of our existing agricultural lands to satisfy the nutritional demands of the world’s population.”
The researchers based their conclusions on a statistical analysis of over 200,000 “bee visits” to flowering crops. This analysis utilized one of the largest databases focused on crop pollination globally. Rachael Winfree, the study’s lead author and a professor in the same department, worked with colleagues from Europe and South America to create this extensive database, which contains three decades’ worth of observations of bees and other pollinators.
While this recent Rutgers study does not focus on major staples like rice and wheat—which do not require pollinators for reproduction—pollination from bees and other animals is vital for the growth of what Turo calls “nutrient-rich and culturally significant foods,” including fruits, vegetables, nuts, and legumes.
“Considering a list of crops, think about the fruits and vegetables that excite you the most—like summer berries or fall pumpkins and apples—those are typically reliant on insect pollination,” Turo remarked.
Pollination involves transferring pollen from the male to the female part of a flower, facilitating fertilization, which leads to seeds, fruits, and new plants. Pollen transfer can occur through wind, water, or via pollinators such as honeybees, wild bees, and even animals like bats.
Pollinators are crucial for the reproduction of approximately 88 percent of flowering plants and 76 percent of key global food crops, according to earlier research by Rutgers professor Rachael Winfree and other scientists. Bees are typically recognized as the most efficient pollinators, contributing significantly to the pollination of blueberry, coffee, and apple crops that are often affected by pollinator limitations, as they tend to visit more flowers and carry greater amounts of pollen than other insects.
Yield deficits were identified for 25 distinct crops in 85 percent of the countries studied.
On a positive note, Turo mentioned that experts believe that the existing yield shortfalls could be improved with realistic enhancements in pollinator visits to specific crop fields. The study indicated that in some situations, an adequate number of bees were already visiting certain fields.
If field operators can create more uniform conditions between high- and low-yield areas, many of the yield issues observed could potentially be resolved, she stated.
“These findings are critical because crop yields, which measure the amount produced per unit of agricultural land, are essential for assessing the sufficiency of food supply in relation to the global population,” Winfree explained. “Our results suggest that by focusing more on pollinators, farmers could boost productivity in agricultural fields.”
James Reilly, a data analyst from the Rutgers Department of Ecology, Evolution and Natural Resources, was also a co-author of this study. Additional contributors included Ainhoa Magrach from the Basque Centre for Climate Change in Leioa, Spain, and Thijs P. M. Fijen from Wageningen University & Research in the Netherlands.
