Tomato
Pollination Solutions
Lycopersicon esculentum
Tomato crops (Lycopersicon esculentum) rely on effective insect activity for successful tomato pollination and consistent fruit development.
During flowering, the anthers must release pollen and transfer it onto the stigma for fertilisation to occur. In greenhouse and protected cropping systems, however, natural pollinators rarely reach the crop in sufficient numbers. As a result, growers rely on managed bumblebee colonies to deliver consistent, reliable pollination throughout the flowering period.
Zonda bumblebee hives provide reliable buzz pollination throughout the flowering period, supporting consistent fruit set for New Zealand tomato growers.
Tomato Flower Biology
- The tomato flower is hermaphroditic and capable of self-pollination. The stamens form a cone around the pistil, releasing pollen through small openings at the tips of the anthers.
- Fertilisation requires vibration to dislodge pollen from the anthers onto the stigma. Bumblebees achieve this by gripping the flower and activating their flight muscles without moving their wings — a behaviour known as buzz pollination.
- After a visit, jaw marks left by the bumblebee will show as brown discolouration on the flower, indicating it has been visited and is typically set. This may appear several hours after the visit.
- In spring, flowers remain open for approximately 2–3 days; in summer, less than one day. This should be factored into pollination monitoring.
- As a guide, 80–90% of open flowers should show jaw marks in spring; around 30% is sufficient in summer. In summer, closed flowers can also be checked and should ideally show 100% visitation.
- If flowers are scarce, bumblebees may visit them too frequently. In fine-flowered varieties such as cherry tomatoes, this can damage the flower receptacle, later appearing as cork-like spots on the fruit.
When to Introduce Bumblebee Hives for Tomato Pollination
Bumblebee hives should be introduced when the first tomato flowers begin to open, ensuring pollination activity is present from the start of the flowering period.
For pollination of tomato crops, MEDIUM colonies are normally recommended.
On delivery, a MEDIUM colony contains 50–70 worker bees and a queen, with a typical lifespan of four to six weeks depending on crop conditions.
The number of hives required depends on the season and crop conditions. As a guide, introduce 3 hives per hectare at the start of the crop, adding approx. 2 hives per hectare every 2 weeks to maintain pollination activity.
Position hives evenly throughout the greenhouse to encourage effective pollen transfer across the crop canopy.
Under higher demand conditions, such as in summer, start with 8–10 hives per hectare. In spring, when outdoor vegetation begins flowering, add extra hives to compensate for worker bees that may leave the greenhouse to forage outside.
Bumblebee Hives for Tomato Pollination
Explore Zonda Beneficials bumblebee hives for greenhouse pollination to support tomato crop production.
Large Hive
1100 m² to 1500 m²
Contains approximately 80–100 worker bees.
Bumblebee Hive Placement and Use
- Introduce colonies when the first flowers are open.
- Place hives on a sturdy support approximately 50 cm above the ground — sunny in spring, shaded later in the season.
- Secure hives to prevent ant access.
- After placement, allow bees to settle for 30–60 minutes before opening the flight hole.
- Bumblebees will begin pollinating shortly after their initial orientation flights.
- Bumblebees are most active between 15–25°C, and will work in temperatures from 10–30°C.
Bumblebee Safety and Crop Protection
- Bumblebees are compatible with natural enemies and biological control programmes.
- Agricultural chemicals can affect bumblebees directly (killing workers or larvae through contact or ingestion) or indirectly (treated flowers may deter foraging visits).
- Systemic pesticides absorbed through roots can have long-lasting effects. In crops that produce both nectar and pollen (e.g. sweet pepper), the impact on the colony can be significantly greater than in pollen-only crops (e.g. tomato).
- Detailed information on pesticide compatibility is available in Zonda’s Side Effects Guide.
- Before any crop treatment, activate the BEEHOME option to allow bees to enter but not leave the hive. After approximately one hour, the hive can be fully closed and either covered or removed from the crop.
- If temporarily removed, store the hive at 18–20°C.