Pollination of Apis mellifera L. on the quality and quantity of Mexican lime

Authors

  • Elvira Silva-Jiménez Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias-Universidad de Colima. Autopista Colima-Manzanillo km 40, Colonia La Estación, Tecomán, Colima, México. CP. 28930. Tel. 313 3229405 , Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias-Universidad de Colima. Autopista Colima-Manzanillo km 40, Colonia La Estación, Tecomán, Colima, México. CP. 28930. Tel. 313 3229405
  • José Octavio Macias-Macias Centro de Investigaciones en Abejas-Centro Universitario del Sur-Universidad de Guadalajara. Avenida Enrique Arreola Silva Núm. 883, Colonia Centro, Ciudad Guzmán, Jalisco, México. CP. 49000. Tel. 341 5752222. , Centro de Investigaciones en Abejas-Centro Universitario del Sur-Universidad de Guadalajara. Avenida Enrique Arreola Silva Núm. 883, Colonia Centro, Ciudad Guzmán, Jalisco, México. CP. 49000. Tel. 341 5752222.
  • Celine Acosta-Núñez Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias-Universidad de Colima. Autopista Colima-Manzanillo km 40, Colonia La Estación, Tecomán, Colima, México. CP. 28930. Tel. 313 3229405 , Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas y Agropecuarias-Universidad de Colima. Autopista Colima-Manzanillo km 40, Colonia La Estación, Tecomán, Colima, México. CP. 28930. Tel. 313 3229405

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.29312/remexca.v17i2.3903

Keywords:

Apis mellifera, Citrus aurantifolia, fruit set

Abstract

Honeybees (Apis mellifera L.) are the most efficient pollinators in cultivated and wild plants, playing an essential role in agricultural production and ecosystem conservation. This research aimed to evaluate the effect of the distance of Apis mellifera L. hives in pollination with honeybees on the quantity and quality of the fruits of the Mexican lime [Citrus aurantifolia (Christm.) Swingle] from March to July 2022, at the Villa Chica farm of the SiCar Farms company, located in the municipality of Tecomán, Colima, Mexico, with an area of 3.75 ha, where eight honeybee colonies were installed; 36 trees were selected and divided into four treatments that consisted of different ranges of distance from the location of the bee colonies and a control group that was isolated: T1 (0-100 m), T2 (101-200 m), T3 (201-300 m), T4 (randomly selected trees excluding pollinators). Treatments T1 and T2 presented a positive effect on the variables of fruit set percentage, fruit weight, polar diameter, juice weight, and number of seeds, compared to the other treatments, so it is recommended to place hives uniformly in the Mexican lime crops at distances not greater than 200 m between them in order to improve pollination activity and obtain fruits in greater quantity and better quality.

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References

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Published

2026-03-18

Issue

Vol. 17 No. 2 (2026)

Section

Articles

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How to Cite

Silva-Jiménez, Elvira, José Octavio Macias-Macias, and Celine Acosta-Núñez. 2026. “Pollination of Apis Mellifera L. On the Quality and Quantity of Mexican Lime”. Revista Mexicana De Ciencias Agrícolas 17 (2): e3903. https://doi.org/10.29312/remexca.v17i2.3903.