Can the Introduction of Modern Crop Varieties in their Centre of Origin Affect Local Ecological Knowledge? A Case Study of Papaya in the Yucatan Peninsula

Pollinator‐mediated interactions between cultivated papaya and co‐flowering plant species

“…Some bee species also visit papaya on other continents (Australia and Africa) where this crop was introduced; however, some authors have suggested that the main pollinators are hawk moths (Garrett, ; Martins & Johnson, ). Although hawk months visit papaya flowers in the study area, these are infrequent visitors (Moo‐Aldana et al, ) and the proboscis of the species reported in the area ( Cautethia yucatana and Manduca sp. Montero‐Muñoz, Pozo, & Cepeda‐González, ) is far longer (6.5 ± 1.2 cm [hereafter mean values ±1 SE ]) than the corollas of female flowers (2.1 ± 0.4 cm).…”

“…Cultivated papaya coexists with its wild relative (Fuentes & Santamaría, ), the latter occurring sparsely within the area sampled. The co‐occurrence of wild and cultivated papaya is relevant because these varieties have similar floral morphology and share several pollinator species (Moo‐Aldana et al, ). Most plants in the study area (including papaya) have entomophilous flowers and are visited mainly by bees (Badillo‐Montaño et al, ).…”

“…In the study area, andromonoecy is the most common sexual expression and male is the rarest. Papaya is mainly pollinated by generalist diurnal insects (bees and Lepidoptera) in the study area (Badillo‐Montaño et al, ; Moo‐Aldana et al, ). Some bee species also visit papaya on other continents (Australia and Africa) where this crop was introduced; however, some authors have suggested that the main pollinators are hawk moths (Garrett, ; Martins & Johnson, ).…”

“…Although modern papaya varieties can also produce self‐compatible hermaphrodite flowers, previous studies suggest that pollen deposition by pollinators on these flowers significantly increases fruit set and weight (Badillo‐Montaño, Aguirre, Santamaría, Martínez‐Natarén, & Munguía‐Rosas, ; Garrett, ; Martins & Johnson, ). Fruit set in the absence of pollinators is also less attractive to customers owing to the reduced size and round shape of the fruit (Martins & Johnson, ; Moo‐Aldana et al, ). In the study area, cultivated papaya blooms year round and is visited by a wide variety of generalist insects (Moo‐Aldana et al, ) that also visit many other wild and cultivated plant species around papaya plantations (Badillo‐Montaño et al, ).…”

“…Fruit set in the absence of pollinators is also less attractive to customers owing to the reduced size and round shape of the fruit (Martins & Johnson, ; Moo‐Aldana et al, ). In the study area, cultivated papaya blooms year round and is visited by a wide variety of generalist insects (Moo‐Aldana et al, ) that also visit many other wild and cultivated plant species around papaya plantations (Badillo‐Montaño et al, ). Therefore, pollinator‐mediated interactions among cultivated papaya and co‐flowering plant species are very likely.…”