Pollination biology of the muscadine grape

Fruit set in the muscadine grape (Vitis rotundifolia Michx,) depended on in sect cross-pollination, although flowers were well adapted for selfing. Pol linizer cultivars produced about half of their optimal fruit set when selfe d, but cross-pollination was needed to reach an optimal fruit set of 33.7%, Eighty-one percent of the overall fruit set in pistillate vines was attrib uted to insect cross-pollination; wind played only a small role. Diminished fruit set and fewer seeds per berry occurred in cultivars receiving no eff ective cross-pollination. Components of fruit quality were not profoundly a ffected by the pollination treatments, although seed set and berry weight i n pistillate cultivars was lower in the absence of cross-pollination. Parth enocarpy was rare, except in 'Fry Seedless', Muscadine production throughou t the southeastern United States depends on cross-pollination by indigenous insects, particularly bees. To ensure consistently high yields, bees must have sale access to flowers and their nesting sites must be preserved.