Pollination deficits can compromise fruit yield and quality and have been reported in several fruit crops. It is unknown whether there is a pollination deficit in the production of Korla fragrant pear, Pyrus sinkiangensis, in China, and if so, whether this deficit can be mitigated by the use of managed honeybees (Apis mellifera). We assessed insect communities, flower visitation, pollination deficit and honeybee contribution to pear pollination in Korla fragrant pear orchards in Xinjiang, China. Insect communities were monitored using colored pan traps, and pollination deficit was assessed by comparing fruit set with open pollination to that with hand pollination in orchards without beehives from 2018 to 2021. The contribution of honeybees to pollination was assessed by comparing flower visitation, fruit set and fruit quality in pear orchards with and without beehives in 2020 and 2021. In orchards without beehives, wild bees (72%) were the dominant pollinator group in pan traps, followed by honeybees (15%), moths, hoverflies, butterflies and wasps (Vespidae). Fruit set in these orchards was much lower with open pollination (8 ± 2%) than with hand pollination (74 ± 4%). When comparing pollination in orchards with and without beehives in 2020 and 2021, we found that honeybees were responsible for most of the flower visits in orchards with (96%) and without beehives (66%). Wild bees were responsible for 1% and 6% of flower visits in orchards with and without beehives, respectively. Fruit set was significantly higher in orchards with beehives (38 ± 9%) than in orchards without beehives (12 ± 3%), while fruit set and sugar content were positively associated with pollinator visitation rate. The findings reveal a large pollination deficit in Korla fragrant pear orchards, and show that this deficit can be mitigated using managed honeybees.

Natural habitats play crucial roles in biodiversity conservation and shape the delivery of ecosystem services in farming landscapes. By providing diverse resources to foraging natural enemies, they can equally enhance biological pest control. In this study, we described the plant community and foliage-dwelling invertebrate predators within non-crop habitats of the Gobi Desert oases in southern Xinjiang, China. We assessed whether plant-related variables (i.e., species identity, flowering status) and herbivore abundance affect natural enemy identity and abundance. A total of 18 plant species belonging to 18 genera and 10 families were commonly encountered, with Apocynum pictum (Apocynaceae), Phragmites communis (Poaceae), Karelinia caspia (Asteraceae), and Tamarix ramosissima (Tamaricaceae) as the dominant species. Certain plant species (P. communis) primarily provide shelter, while others offer (floral, non-floral) food resources or alternative prey. Predatory ladybeetles and spiders were routinely associated with these plants and foraged extensively within adjacent field crops. Plant traits and herbivore abundance explained up to 44% (3%–44%) variation in natural enemy community and exhibited consistent, year-round effects. Among all plant species, A. pictum consistently had a significantly higher abundance of resident natural enemies, except for August 2019. Our study underlines how perennial flowering plants, such as A. pictum, are essential to sustain natural enemy communities and related ecosystem services in arid settings. This work not only informs sustainable pest management initiatives but also shows how non-crop habitats at the periphery of agricultural fields underpin ecological resilience under adverse climatic conditions.