A Iinfluência da polinização na produção de pimenta biquinho (Capsicum chinense Jacq., SOLANACEAE) no município de São Carlos, SP

Abstract

Pollination is essential for agricultural production worldwide, assisting in people's economy and food security. Even in plants capable of self-pollinating, pollination by animals can result in improved production by increasing the weight of fruits, avoiding their malformations, and improving the chemical characteristics of food. This work aims to study the influence of pollination by insects on the production of pepper (Capsicum chinense), linking the increase in production, importance, and efficiency of pollinators with the profit of the farmer who will use this benefit. Basic and still unavailable information is available in the literature on floral biology, reproductive system, pollen limitation, frequency of visits to flowers. The study generated relevant information for the cultivation of the species in Brazil. The first author of this work is an undergraduate student at the Federal University of São Carlos and a small rural producer. The fieldwork was carried out on her family's property, configuring a co-production of knowledge involving the university and the end users of the learning generated. Our results showed that the production of red peck pepper (Capsicum chinense; BRS Moema) significantly increases (about 70%) when natural pollination occurs, generating peppers with greater weight, larger fruits, and more seeds, resulting in increased producer profit.