CROP PROFILE / CUCURBITS
Cucurbits
Cucurbita spp.
BLOOMJune–September
REGIONSUnited States
POLLINATORSSquash bees, bumble bees, honey bees
MEASUREMENT
What to measure
Morning visitation → pollen transfer → fruit set → fruit shape / quality
WEATHER
What can go wrong
Because flowers are short-lived, poor morning conditions can have an outsized effect on pollination.
DIAGNOSIS
How to troubleshoot
Count visits per flower during the actual open-flower window and compare with later fruit set and quality.
TECHNOLOGY
Relevant tools
- Computer vision
- Field activity counters
- Weather timing
- Flower-density sampling