Visitantes florais e produção de frutos de Cagaiteira (Eugenia desynterica DC.)

Abstract

The cagaiteira Eugenia dysenterica is an important fruit species native to the Brazilian cerrados, belonging to the Myrtaceae family. Pollination represents one of the environmental services with global reach, playing an essential role in preserving the biodiversity of both wild and agricultural plants worldwide. Therefore, the work aimed to survey the main floral visitors to E. dysenterica collection, located in the experimental area of ​​the School of Agronomy at the Federal University of Goiás in Goiânia, GO. The E. dysenterica was visited by around 13 species of floral visitors. Among the visitors, the species Scaptotrigona depilis, Paratrigona lineata, Exomalopsis analis, wasps (Polybia sp.) and dipterans. The flower-to-fruit conversion rate for open flowers (without bagging) was 11%, whereas flowers that were isolated with floral visitors and potential pollinators had a flower-to-fruit conversion rate of only 5%. Thus, we conclude that E. dysenterica depends on pollinators, especially bees, to increase its fruit production.