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Volume 15
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This is an early access version, the complete PDF, HTML, and XML versions will be available soon.
Article

Pollination Deficit: A Key Limitation of Fruit Set in Northward-Expanded Camellia Orchards

by
Bin Yuan
1,†,
Zhi-hui Deng
2,3,†,
Ning-ning Zhang
2,3,
Zhi-chu Huang
4,
Xiao-ling Su
4,
Yuan-yuan Lu
1,
Ze-yue Zong
2,3,
De-yi Yuan
2,3,
Xiao-ming Fan
2,3,* and
Fu-liang Hu
1,*
1
College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
2
Key Laboratory of Cultivation and Protection for Non-Wood Forest Trees, Ministry of Education, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha 410004, China
3
Key Lab of Non-Wood Forest Products of State Forestry Administration, Central South University of Forestry and Technology, Changsha 410004, China
4
Jinhua Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Jinhua 321000, China
*
Authors to whom correspondence should be addressed.
†
These authors contributed equally to this work.
Agriculture 2025, 15(16), 1717; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture15161717
Submission received: 27 June 2025 / Revised: 5 August 2025 / Accepted: 7 August 2025 / Published: 8 August 2025
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Challenges and Perspectives for Beekeeping)
Versions Notes

Abstract

Northward expansion of economically essential plants is a vital strategy for enhancing agricultural productivity; however, it often results in reduced yields. This study systematically assessed the impact of translocating the high-value oilseed species Camellia hainanica from its native tropical habitat Sanya to the temperate cultivation area of Changsha, focusing on its reproductive processes, including flowering, pollination, and fruit development. Our findings revealed a 45-day delay in anthesis at the transplanted location, which was associated with notably lower average daily temperatures (7.89 °C in Changsha compared to 24.63 °C in Sanya) during the anthesis period. While floral longevity, stigma receptivity, and pollen viability remained comparable between sites, anther dehiscence was markedly delayed by three days after transplanting. Crucially, pollinator visitation during peak flowering plummeted by 92% compared to the levels in Sanya, and a 57% reduction in pollen deposition on stigmas occurred. Consequently, natural fruit sets in Changsha collapsed to 0%, significantly lower than those in Sanya, despite artificial cross-pollination achieving an 11% fruit set rate. These results and the pollination deficit coefficient (D = 1.00) all demonstrate that severe pollination deficits are the key limitation causing reproductive failure in northward-expanded C. hainanica orchards. Addressing these yield constraints necessitates targeted breeding for earlier flowering genotypes and implementing pollination management strategies.
Keywords: Camellia hainanica; transplanted; pollen deposition; fruit set; anther dehiscence; temperature Camellia hainanica; transplanted; pollen deposition; fruit set; anther dehiscence; temperature

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

Yuan, B.; Deng, Z.-h.; Zhang, N.-n.; Huang, Z.-c.; Su, X.-l.; Lu, Y.-y.; Zong, Z.-y.; Yuan, D.-y.; Fan, X.-m.; Hu, F.-l. Pollination Deficit: A Key Limitation of Fruit Set in Northward-Expanded Camellia Orchards. Agriculture 2025, 15, 1717. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture15161717

AMA Style

Yuan B, Deng Z-h, Zhang N-n, Huang Z-c, Su X-l, Lu Y-y, Zong Z-y, Yuan D-y, Fan X-m, Hu F-l. Pollination Deficit: A Key Limitation of Fruit Set in Northward-Expanded Camellia Orchards. Agriculture. 2025; 15(16):1717. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture15161717

Chicago/Turabian Style

Yuan, Bin, Zhi-hui Deng, Ning-ning Zhang, Zhi-chu Huang, Xiao-ling Su, Yuan-yuan Lu, Ze-yue Zong, De-yi Yuan, Xiao-ming Fan, and Fu-liang Hu. 2025. "Pollination Deficit: A Key Limitation of Fruit Set in Northward-Expanded Camellia Orchards" Agriculture 15, no. 16: 1717. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture15161717

APA Style

Yuan, B., Deng, Z.-h., Zhang, N.-n., Huang, Z.-c., Su, X.-l., Lu, Y.-y., Zong, Z.-y., Yuan, D.-y., Fan, X.-m., & Hu, F.-l. (2025). Pollination Deficit: A Key Limitation of Fruit Set in Northward-Expanded Camellia Orchards. Agriculture, 15(16), 1717. https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture15161717

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