The Dependence of Crops for Pollinators and the Economic Value of Pollination in Brazil

Author(s)

Giannini, T. C. ^{[1, 2, 3]} ; Cordeiro, G. D. ^[4] ; Freitas, B. M. ^[5] ; Saraiva, A. M. ^[1] ; Imperatriz-Fonseca, V. L. ^{[2, 3]}

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Sao Paulo, Escola Politecn, BR-60356000 Sao Paulo, SP - Brazil

^[2] Univ Sao Paulo, Inst Biociencias, BR-05508900 Sao Paulo, SP - Brazil

^[3] Vale Technol Inst, Sustainable Dev, BR-66055090 Belem, Para - Brazil

^[4] Univ Sao Paulo, Fac Filosofia Ciencias & Letras, BR-14040901 Ribeirao Preto, SP - Brazil

^[5] Univ Fed Ceara, Dept Zootecnia, BR-60356000 Fortaleza, CE - Brazil

• Document type: Review article
• Source: Journal of Economic Entomology; v. 108, n. 3, p. 849-857, JUN 2015.
• Web of Science Citations: 30

Abstract

Food production is challenged by changes in climate and land use and expanding human population growth. Proper pollination can increase the production and quality of fruit, nut, oil, and fiber crops. We reviewed crop dependence on pollinators and estimated the economic value of pollination per year for each crop in Brazil. We analyzed 141 crops and found that 85 depend on pollinators. Almost one-third of these crops have an essential or great dependence on pollinators. The economic contribution of pollinators totals similar to 30% (similar to US\$12 billion) of the total annual agricultural income of the dependent crops (totalizing almost US\$45 billion). However, half of these figures includes soybean crop (US\$5.7 billion of pollinators' contribution and US\$22 billion of annual income). Soybean was considered as having a modest dependence on pollinators, but this remains controversial because pollinator dependence might vary among different varieties cultivated in Brazil. Moreover, we have no information about pollinator dependence regarding some important crops, showing the urgent need for basic research into reproductive biology and pollination ecology. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 11/06811-5 - Phenology, reproductive biology and pollination of cambuci (Campomanesia phaea - Myrtaceae) and monitoring of associated apifauna
• Grantee: Guaraci Duran Cordeiro
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate