O. Endarto, H. Tarno, B.T. Rahadjo, A. Afandhi, Nurindah, R. Ubaidillah
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Pollination in tropical agricultural systems remains less documented than in temperate crops, limiting the development of environmentally safe and locally adapted pollination management. The study objectives were to assess pollinator diversity, environmental drivers, temporal dynamics, and service contribution in tropical highland shallot (Allium cepa variety Aggregatum) across three flowering seasons in Batu, East Java, Indonesia. The aim of this initiative is to pinpoint ecological conditions that facilitate sustainable production while minimizing reliance on chemicals. METHODS: Sampling was replicated across 8 permanent plots, 7 consecutive days per flowering season, 3 flowering seasons, and 6 standardized daily time windows, generating 1,008 possible observation units. Of these, 948 observation events recorded flower visitors and were retained for analysis. A total of 1,078 flower visitor records were documented. These records covered 12 species, 8 families, and 3 orders. Community composition and temporal visitation patterns were analyzed. The calculation of diversity indices was conducted, alongside testing the correlations between pollinator abundance and microclimatic variables. Additionally, nonparametric statistics and correlation methods were utilized. FINDINGS: Diptera dominated the assemblage numerically (58.5 percent). Hymenoptera followed at 40.3 percent. This pattern differs from bee-dominated communities in temperate Allium systems. This denotes a specific community structure. Relative humidity was the sole environmental variable that showed a consistent and positive correlation with core pollinator abundance (Pearson r = +0.494, Probability < 0.0001), whereas temperature and wind speed did not demonstrate significance within the observed range. Visitation was concentrated in the morning, with 68.1 percent of core pollinator activity occurring between 06:00 and 12:00. Seasonal diversity increased over time, and five core species accounted for most pollination activity, with three species contributing 77.2 percent of total service. CONCLUSION: Tropical highland shallot pollination is influenced more by moisture than by temperature. This highlights the need for ecofriendly practices. These include proper irrigation scheduling, habitat conservation, and reduced pesticide use during peak pollinator activity. These conclusions present a practical ecological foundation for the management of sustainable pollination in tropical highland agriculture and promote biodiversity-focused strategies for crop production that is environmentally resilient. © 2026 The author(s). This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
Research Center for Horticulture, National Research and Innovation Agency, Jl. Raya Jakarta-Bogor, Bogor, Cibinong, 16915, Indonesia; Faculty of Agriculture, Brawijaya University, Jl. Veteran, Malang, 65145, Indonesia; Research Center for Estate Crops, National Research and Innovation Agency, Jl. Raya Jakarta-Bogor, Bogor, Cibinong, 16915, Indonesia; Research Center for Evolution and Biosystematics, National Research and Innovation Agency, Jl. Raya Jakarta-Bogor, Bogor, Cibinong, 16915, Indonesia
