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0IMPORTANCE OF INSECT POLLINATION IN UZBEKISTAN AGRICULTURE: POLLINATOR DEPENDENT PRODUCTION
ANALYSIS
1Chuleui Jung, 2Sampat Ghosh
Andong National University, Professor Andong National University, Research professor https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.11482184
Abstract. Animal pollination, primarily facilitated by diverse insect groups such as bees and hoverflies, is a crucial ecosystem service. It significantly impacts agricultural productivity and nutritional security, which are essential for human wellbeing. This study aimed to understand the significance of pollinator in the agricultural crop production in Uzbekistan. Analysing 65 crop systems, we found that approximately 64.6% are pollinator-dependent, with crops like almonds, apples, blueberries, and watermelons demonstrating varying degrees of reliance. Percentage contribution of total crop production was 17%. However, if excluding cereals, 27.8% of crop production was relied on pollinators. Vulnerability analysis indicated that a reduction in pollinator populations would significantly threaten agricultural production. Enhancing pollination service could boost agricultural yields and improve nutritional quality, benefiting consumer health. Therefore, protecting and enhancing pollination services and implementing sustainable agricultural practices are vital.
Key words: crop production, pollinator dependence, pollination service, honey bee, sustainability, food and nutrition security, ecological service.
Introduction. Insect pollination is a critical component of agricultural productivity and ecosystem health. Approximately 75% of the world's major crops benefit from animal pollination, primarily by insects (Klein et al. 2007). Pollinated crops often produce more fruit and seeds, and the quality of these products is typically superior (Jung, 2008). For instance, strawberries pollinated by insects are larger and have better shape and colour (Klatt et al., 2014). Similarly, insect-pollinated apples are more symmetrical and of higher quality (Son and Jung, 2021).
A wide range of crops relies on insect pollination, including many fruits, vegetables, nuts, and oilseeds. Fruit crops such as apples, almonds, cherry, plum and blueberries are heavily depending on insect pollinators (Somerville, 1999a,b). The economic value of insect pollination is substantial. Gallai et al. (2009) estimated that insect pollination contributes approximately $235 billion to $577 billion annually to the global economy. In Korea, Jung (2008) and Jung and Shin (2022) reported one quarter of crop production is related to insect pollination, with economic contribution of approximately $5.5 billion. In addition to its economic benefits, insect pollination plays a crucial role in maintaining biodiversity supporting vegetation structures, and sustaining food webs and wildlife. Proper reproduction and genetic diversity of plants, facilitated by insect pollination, enhances ecosystem resilience and stability (Potts et al., 2010).
Crop production and yield are influenced by various factors, including soil nutrients, environmental and climatic conditions, pests, and diseases. Among these, pollinators play a crucial yet often underappreciated role (Garibaldi et al., 2016). While not all crops require pollinators for cross-pollination, many do, to varying extents. Some plants are wind-pollinated, while others depend on pollinators.
Although there are numerous pollinators, insects, particularly honey bees, are considered the primary workforce in pollination. Additionally, wild solitary bees significantly contribute to
crop production (Garibaldi et al., 2013). Important groups of pollinators are honey bees (Apis mellifera), bumblebees, wild solitary bees, other solitary bees. Hover flies, other flies, butterflies, moths and beetles. Honeybees and some bumblebees are commercially available and possible to manage but other bees are mostly considered as wild bees. Honey bees are the most widely managed pollinators and are essential for many commercial crops of larger areas (Delaplane & Mayer, 2000). Bumblebees are effective at pollinating tomatoes and peppers, which require buzz pollination (Morandin et al., 2001; Ercan and Onus, 2003). Flies are crucial for crops like carrots, onions, and some berries (Orford et al., 2015).
Numerous studies have been conducted to estimate the contribution of pollinators to the national economy. However, pollinators not only enhance economic value but also improve the health and well-being of the population by increasing the yield and production of nutrient-rich crops (Smith et al. 2015; Ghosh and Jung, 2016, 2018, 2024).
Understanding the dependency on pollinators for nutrient supply is essential. Several factors, including crop yield, dietary diversity, and the impact of agroecosystems, influence the measurement of pollinators' contribution to providing essential nutrients. A detailed understanding of the role of pollinators can inform policies aimed at conserving pollinator populations and ensuring a stable nutrient supply. This comprehensive approach can help in framing policies that promote both the conservation of pollinators and the nutritional well-being of the population. As we do not have enough information on crop-pollinator networks in Uzbekistan, we had analysed the crop production data relative to the pollinator dependency. This can be used as the basic data for further crop yield improvement using relevant pollination techniques and services.
Methods. Agricultural production data were obtained from FAO stat based on year 2022 of Uzbekistan (Table 1). Data comprises the kinds of crop, area cultivated (ha), yield per hectare, and national production (t). Based on the degree of dependency, crops can be classified into four categories: little (1-10%), modest (10-40%), great (40-90%), and essential (>90%) dependency on pollinators (Klein et al 2007). Also we added the pollinator-dependency for a few more crops such as pistachio and safflower seeds.
Table 1. Agricultural crops cultivation and production data of Uzbekistan in 2022 adopted from
FAO statistics (FAOSTAT) relative to the pollinator dependencies
Pollinator Crop Area Yield Production
dependency (ha) (100g/ha) (t)
No Barley 99238 12439 123447.1
Carrot and turnips 47023 832780 3915983
Cereals n.e.c. 4842 24101 11669.39
Lentils, dry 1111 9587 1065.14
Maize 62772 104572 656414.4
Millet 27689 28000 77531
Oats 836 5885 492
Other pulses n.e.c. 11773 37403 44033.52
Peas, dry 1235 28118 3472.33
Peas, green 817 59183 4837.04
Rice 46322 77533 359147.1
Sorghum 12130 13860 16812.21
Walnuts, in shell 5102 94426 48179.68
Wheat 1257071 49878 6270059
Little Safflower seed 8624 6824 5885.25
Chick peas dry 5023 27561 13844.43
Chillies and peppers, dry (Capsicum spp., Pimenta spp.), raw 4954 45767 22672.91
Chillies and peppers, green (Capsicum spp. and Pimenta spp.) 897 759044 68108.82
Grapes 113083 155688 1760559
Groundnuts, excluding shelled 1372 166229 22801.57
Leeks and other alliaceous vegetables 831 87995 7311.66
Lemons and limes 1577 67241 10601.49
Onions and shallots, dry (excluding dehydrated) 33710 360231 1214349
Other beans, green 556 122825 6823.95
Other citrus fruit, n.e.c. 628 168771 10601.49
Pepper (Piper spp.), raw 324 6544 211.83
Persimmons 3426 235641 80723.81
Pomelos and grapefruits 141 187419 2635.93
Potatoes 109110 315573 3443224
Tangerines, mandarins, clementines 116 116539 1347.17
Tomatoes 64226 341162 2191153
Modest Broad beans, horse beans dry 2746 57137 15692.24
Broad beans, horse beans green 582 86700 5041.73
Currants 84 195302 1637.84
Eggplants (aubergines) 9183 222037 203888.8
Figs 878 339940 29844.18
Rape or colza seed 1822 7071 1288.41
Sesame seed 7633 18654 14239.09
Soya beans 12385 28150 34862.38
Strawberries 783 134111 10500.9
Sunflower seed 8279 50943 42174.07
Seed Cotton 1026858 34091 3500680
Great Almond 2706 114366 30945.06
Apple 122459 107239 1313232.89
Apricot 39332 114731 451262.8
Blueberries 94 70811 667.59
Buckwheat 15 8000 12
Cherries 15241 142289 216866.9
Cucumbers and gherkins 27489 329001 904390
Peaches and nectarines 20044 105745 211955
Pears 7292 161210 117546.3
Plums and sloes 15040 118087 177602.3
Quinces 4044 224734 90871.09
Raspberries -- -- 900
Sour cherries 7051 114611 80809.04
Essential Watermelons 41922 343345 1439370
Unknown Artichokes 122 317500 3862.23
Hazelnuts, in shell 3000 12426 3727.86
Lettuce and chicory 336 146048 4909.67
Linseed 3000 3333 1000
Olives 139 8644 119.94
Pistachios, in shell 1046 3767 394
Rye 142 98375 1394
Cabbage 13586 579787 787670.3
Sugar beet 67 295373 1979
Figure 1. Agricultural crop profiles of Uzbekistan in 2022, relative to the pollinator-dependency
categories
Results and Discussion. Table 1 provides that out of 65 crop systems, approximately 42 crops, i.e. about 64.6%, are pollinator dependent. Within these pollinator-dependent crops, 17 belong to the category of little pollinator dependence. This group includes crops such as chickpeas, chilies, groundnuts, beans, lemons, and limes. Eleven crops fall into the modest pollinator dependent group, while thirteen crops are classified under the great pollinator dependent group. Notably, only one crop, watermelon, is categorized as essential pollinator dependent. Examples of modest pollinator dependent crops include broad beans, horse beans, soybeans, figs, eggplants, strawberries, and cotton seeds. In contrast, many fruits, such as almonds, apples, blueberries, cucumbers and gherkins, peaches and nectarines, pears, plums, quinces, and raspberries, exhibit a high degree of pollinator dependence.
From a nutritional perspective, cereals serve as staples, primarily providing carbohydrates. Pulses are a significant source of protein, while vegetables and fruits offer fiber, minerals, vitamins, and numerous biofunctional compounds. Many of these vegetables and fruits, along with some legumes such as various beans, including soybeans, rely on pollinators. Consequently, the nutrients derived from these crops are also dependent on pollinators. The decline in pollinator populations could pose a threat to these agricultural systems and negatively impact the nutritional status of the population.
It is also noteworthy that some crops classified under the unknown dependency group might require pollinators for cross-pollination. However, the extent of this dependency is not yet known, leading to their placement in the unknown category.
Figure 1 depicts the agricultural crop profiles of Uzbekistan in 2022, relative to the pollinator-dependency categories. When examining the yield and cultivation area of these crop systems, the largest cultivation areas are occupied by crops that are independent of pollinators (Figure 1). Conversely, the cultivation area for pollinator-dependent crops is comparatively smaller (Figure 1). However, the yield scenario is quite the opposite (Figure 1). The average yield of pollinator-dependent crops is higher than that of non-pollinator-dependent crops. This higher yield is reflected in the production volume of these crops.
Table 2 illustrates the effects of optimum pollinator and reduced pollinator scenario on the crop production relative to the pollinator dependency categories. By incorporating pollinator dependency, we estimated the importance of animal pollinators for crop production. We found that 64% of crops are pollinator-dependent. These crops contribute 17% to total crop production. However, when cereals are excluded, 27.8% of crop production relies on pollinators.
Cereals, grasses, and other nut producing crops such as olives, dates, pistachios, walnuts, and some vegetable seeds are considered as wind-pollinating plants (Karimi and Zeraatkar, 2016). Generally, these plants are self-fertile, they can produce fruit from their own pollens. Natural wind pollination is dependent on the synchronization of the blooming of male and female plants or different cultivars, as well as meteorological conditions such as temperature, day length, wind intensity, and other environmental factors including water and soil quality. However, self-pollination alone often results in lower fruit set and yield, necessitating additional cross-pollination, where pollen is transferred from one tree or variety to another. Some varieties require cross-pollination more than others. In the recent years, increasing asynchrony between the flowering of male and female trees has been observed, attributed to climate change and global warming. Consequently, additional artificial pollination services or by other insect pollinators are required.
Table 3. Effects of optimum pollinator and reduced pollinator scenario on the crop production
relative to the pollinator dependency categories
Total production PD P Optimum P % Lower P %
Essential 1439 1367 1713 119 984 68
Great 3597 2338 4065 113 2818 78
Modest 3859 965 4053 105 3538 92
Little 8862 443 8951 101 8715 98
No 11533 0 11533 100 11533 100
Unknown 805 0 805 100 805 100
All crop 30095 - 31120 103 28393 94
All PD crop 17757 5114 18782 106 16055 90
Proportion (%) 59.0 17.0
Smith et al. (2015) demonstrated that declines in animal pollinators could lead to significant global health burdens, including increased rates of non-communicable diseases and micronutrient deficiencies. The decline in pollinators, particularly honeybees, in various regions threatens agricultural productivity and food security. Analyzing data from 60 crop systems across five continents from 1983-2013, the study found that honeybee population patterns positively correlated with crop yields of little, modest, and great pollinator-dependent crops, but negatively with essential pollinator-dependent crops (Ghosh and Jung, 2016). In Korea and India, increased yields in crops with medium pollination dependence were linked to rising honeybee hive numbers, while yield changes in essential pollinator-dependent crops appeared more influenced by socioeconomic conditions (Ghosh and Jung, 2016). Further investigation revealed that in Korea, pollinator-dependent crops contribute significantly to the supply of vitamins C and E, and iron, with a higher reliance on pollinators compared to the global average. The stable supply of these micronutrients over the past three decades highlights the critical role of pollination in ensuring nutritional security (Ghosh and Jung 2018). Similarly, In India, pollinator-dependent crops are significant sources of vitamins B7, B9, C, and K, despite their slower yield increase compared to non-pollinator-dependent crops, indicating the critical role of pollinators in enhancing nutritional quality (Ghosh and Jung, 2024). Given this significant role, it is essential to estimate the contribution of pollinators in Uzbekistan to understand their impact on national food and nutritional security. Planning for the conservation of both managed and wild bees is necessary to protect biodiversity and ensure a stable nutrient supply. Implementing pollinator-friendly habitat management practices in Uzbekistan could prevent negative impacts from pollinator loss and sustain crucial ecosystem services.
Conclusion. The analysis reveals that 64.6% of 65 studied crops are pollinator-dependent, highlighting the critical role of pollinators in agricultural productivity and nutrition. Pollinator declines could threaten food security and nutritional quality, as seen in the impact on crops providing essential vitamins and minerals in regions like Korea and India. Despite smaller cultivation areas, pollinator-dependent crops have higher yields, emphasizing their significance. To ensure food and nutritional security in Uzbekistan, further investigation is needed to figure out the contribution of pollinators to the nutrient supply of the country and to implement conservation strategies for both managed and wild bees.
Acknowledgments. This study was supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF), Smart-AI Uz Research and ODA program (2022K1A3A9A05036394)
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