EFFECTS OF ERISTALIS-TENAX (DIPTERA, SYRPHIDAE) POLLINATION ON CHARACTERISTICS OF GREENHOUSE SWEET-PEPPER FRUITS

The pollinating effects of the drone fly, Eristalis tenax (L.), on gre enhouse sweet pepper. Capsicum annuum L. were assessed by measuring fr uit characteristics. Individual flowers were exposed to either no inse ct visits, a restricted number of visits, or a continuous exposure to flies during floral receptivity. A 5% increase in pericarp circumferen ce was observed in fruits obtained from the continuously exposed newer group (18.2 +/- 4.5 cm [mean +/- SD]) compared with those from the no nvisited group (17.4 +/- 3.6 cm). A shift toward a greater percentage of heavier and wider fruits was observed in both fly-visited flower gr oups. Fruit weight, circumference, and length were highly dependent on seed set and increased as a function of cumulative visit duration. Al though the pollinating behavior of E. tenax on sweet pepper flowers is still unexplained, our results indicate that fly pollination has a si gnificant positive impact on the physical characteristics of pepper fr uits.