ALMOND ORCHARD DESIGN WITH RESPECT TO HONEYBEE BEHAVIOUR

The yield of almond trees can be increased by increasing nut-set.
Normally only 10 to 30% of flowers set nuts in Australian orchards, but an average nut-set of 50% can be achieved by manipulating the factors of pollination and nut-set.
Many Australian almond orchards are poorly designed in that perhaps less than 15% of the honeybees within those orchards are capable of effectively pollinating flowers.

Improved orchard design can increase yield by increasing the effectiveness of honeybees.
A favourable design may include the orientation of tree rows to north-south; the minimisation of wind speed within the orchard; the alternation of trees of different cultivars within rows; the minimisation of the distances between different cultivars within rows; and the provision of gaps between or under trees within rows.

Australian Temperate Fruits Review Conference

S.J. Hill

https://doi.org/10.17660/ActaHortic.1989.240.37