A newly published research proposes a conceptual model for pollination and fertilization of tomato flowers in greenhouses crops by hoverflies, when the maximal number of adult pollinators maintained by the crops is less than what is needed for an economically successful pollination in greenhouses.
The model consists of a two-stage process for additional feeding of hoverfly to maintain the pollinator density at the economically desired level. First, with a stochastic model, the density of flies necessary for the economically successful pollination is calculated, determined according to the economically expected yield. Second, using a deterministic optimal control model, the research finds a minimum cost supplementary feeding strategy. In summary, the research theoretically demonstrates, at the present stage of the research without validations in case studies, that optimal supplementary feeding can maintain the economically desired hoverfly density.
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Fernández, Francisco J.; Garay, József; Móri, Tamás F.; Csiszár, Villő; Varga, Zoltán; López, Inmaculada; Gámez, Manuel; Cabello, Tomás. 2021. "Theoretical Foundation of the Control of Pollination by Hoverflies in a Greenhouse" Agronomy 11, no. 1: 167.