The Plight of Bees and Other Pollinators, and its Consequences on Crop Productivity.

Pollination, the transfer of pollen grains from the anther to the stigma, is a pre-requisite for fruit and seed set. Bees and other pollinators are involved in pollinating about 75% of our crop plants. Following the practice of monoculture cropping system in Western countries, managed pollinators, particularly honeybee colonies, are being used to sustain pollination and crop yield. During the last 3 to 4 decades, managed bees, as well as other wild pollinators, are declining markedly due to human-induced habitat degradation, particularly extensive application of pesticides and herbicides and the spread of pathogens. Concerted attempts are being made in developed countries, including vaccination of bees against diseases and the development of pollinator drones to sustain pollinators and crop productivity. However, in India, the plight of pollinators of crop species has been ignored. We hardly know anything about the pollination efficacy of our crops, such as legumes, oil, fruit, and vegetable crops, which are pollinator-dependent and add the nutritional value to our diet. Intensive studies on pollinators and pollination of our pollinator-dependent crops are urgently needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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