Chinese Agriculture’s Dependence on Bee Pollination: Plantation Status of Crops Depending on Bee Pollination

doi:10.11924/j.issn.1000-6850.casb15100040

Abstract

Abstract: With the decline of global wild pollinators caused by environmental degradation and the disappearance of managed bees for unknown reasons, developed countries are worried about the shortage of bee pollination in the future. The aim of this study is to analyze if this shortage may happen in China. Statistical analysis was conducted based on the plantation data of crops depending on bee pollination from 1999 to 2013. Planting area of 32 kinds of crops depending on bee pollination in six categories increased by 14.7% on average. And forages, field melons and fruits and woody fruits with relative fast increasing planting area were more depended on bee pollination. In addition, the rapid increase of facility agriculture and the high planting intensification increased the demand pressure of bee pollination. Though the shortage of bee pollination has not happened in China, the demand of agricultural production on bee pollination is stronger than before. So, it is suggested that the government should increase the amount of managed bees, construct commercialized bee pollination system and encourage farmers to raise bees appropriately to prevent the possible bee pollination shortage in the future.

CLC Number:

F307.1

Sun Cuiqing and Zhao Zhijun. Chinese Agriculture’s Dependence on Bee Pollination: Plantation Status of Crops Depending on Bee Pollination[J]. Chinese Agricultural Science Bulletin, 2016, 32(8): 13-21.

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