All about pollinating: pumpkins & squash

摘要

Interest in the production of pumpkins and squash has increased in recent years, as has the number of requests for information on the pollination of these plants. The primary interest of producers appears to be in the production of pumpkins and ornamental gourds for the Halloween market, with a lesser interest in squashes for the fresh produce market. Many of those involved produce these crops as a sideline, plant relatively small acreages of pumpkins or squash, and are concerned with quality and maximizing production. Most of the growers with whom I have talked also recognize the importance of bees and pollination. Some have expressed concerns about low bee numbers in their fields and have asked how they can tell if they have sufficient bees to obtain a good set. Surprisingly, good answers to these questions are not readily available. McGregor, in his book Insect Pollination of Cultivated Crop Plants, stated that little concrete data were available on the pollination of crops in the genus Cucurbita, and most references generalized about the need for and use of bees. Recommendations for honey bees varied from one to two colonies per 25 acres to one colony per acre. Not much has changed since the publication of McGregor's book in 1976, and little if any new data have been added to our knowledge on the pollination of these cucurbits. With this fact in mind, we began a study last Summer of pumpkin pollination and the role that honey bees play.