Novel indices reveal that pollinator exposure to pesticides varies across biological compartments and crop surroundings.

Declines in insect pollinators have been linked to a range of causative factors such as disease, loss of habitats, the quality and availability of food, and exposure to pesticides. Here, we analysed an extensive dataset generated from pesticide screening of foraging insects, pollen-nectar stores/beebread, pollen and ingested nectar across three species of bees collected at 128 European sites set in two types of crop. In this paper, we aimed to (i) derive a new index to summarise key aspects of complex pesticide exposure data and (ii) understand the links between pesticide exposures depicted by the different matrices, bee species and apple orchards versus oilseed rape crops. We found that summary indices were highly correlated with the number of pesticides detected in the related matrix but not with which pesticides were present. Matrices collected from apple orchards generally contained a higher number of pesticides (7.6 pesticides per site) than matrices from sites collected from oilseed rape crops (3.5 pesticides), with fungicides being highly represented in apple crops. A greater number of pesticides were found in pollen-nectar stores/beebread and pollen matrices compared with nectar and bee body matrices. Our results show that for a complete assessment of pollinator pesticide exposure, it is necessary to consider several different exposure routes and multiple species of bees across different agricultural systems.

Carboxymethyl cellulose-based multifunctional film integrated with polyphenol-rich extract and carbon dots from coffee husk waste for active food packaging applications.

Sustainable carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC)-based active composite films were developed through the addition of polyphenol-rich extract from coffee husk (CHE) and carbon dots (CDs) prepared using the biowaste residue of CHE extraction. The influences of various CDs contents on the physicochemical and functional characteristics of composite films have been researched. The 6% (w/w) CHE and 3% (w/w) CDs were uniformly dispersed within the CMC matrix to produce a homogenous film with enhanced mechanical properties. The CMC/CHE/CDs3% film exhibited outstanding UV-light blocking, improved water and gas barriers, potent antioxidant activity with above 95% DPPH and ABTS scavenging rates, and effective antibacterial capabilities against L. monocytogenes and E. coli. The food packaging experiment demonstrated that this active composite film slowed the rotting of fresh-cut apples and extended their shelf-life to 7 days at 4 °C storage. Therefore, the obtained multifunctional film showed promise as an environmentally friendly food packaging material.

Structural and rheological properties of diluted alkali soluble pectin from apple and carrot.

Pectin, a complex polysaccharide found in plant cell walls, plays a crucial role in various industries due to its functional properties. The diluted alkali-soluble pectin (DASP) fractions that result from the stepwise extraction of apples and carrots were studied to evaluate their structural and rheological properties. Homogalacturonan and rhamnogalacturonan I, in different proportions, were the main pectin domains that composed DASP from both materials. Atomic force microscopy revealed that the molecules of apple DASP were longer and more branched. A persistence length greater than 40 nm indicated that the pectin molecules deposited on mica behaved as stiff molecules. The weight-averaged molar mass was similar for both samples. Intrinsic viscosity values of 194.91 mL·g-1 and 186.79 mL·g-1 were obtained for apple and carrot DASP, respectively. Rheological measurements showed greater structural strength for apple-extracted pectin, whereas carrot pectin was characterized by a higher linear viscoelasticity limit. This comparison showed that the pectin fractions extracted by diluted alkali are structurally different and have different rheological properties depending on their botanical origin. The acquired insights can enhance the customized use of pectin residue and support further investigations in industries relying on pectin applications.

Nano­selenium functionalized chitosan gel beads for Hg(II) removal from apple juice.

The presence of potentially toxic elements and compounds poses threats to the quality and safety of fruit juices. Among these, Hg(II) is considered as one of the most poisonous heavy metals to human health. Traditional chitosan-based and selenide-based adsorbents face challenges such as poor adsorption capacity and inconvenient separation in juice applications. In this study, we prepared nano­selenium functionalized chitosan gel beads (nanoSe@CBs) and illustrated the synergistic promotions between chitosan and nanoSe in removing Hg(II) from apple juice. The preparation conditions, adsorption behaviors, and adsorption mechanism of nanoSe@CBs were systematically investigated. The results revealed that the adsorption process was primarily controlled by chemical adsorption. At the 0.1 % dosage, the adsorbent exhibited high uptake, and the maximum adsorption capacity from the Langmuir isotherm model could reach 376.5 mg/g at room temperature. The adsorbent maintained high adsorption efficiency (> 90 %) across a wide range of Hg(II) concentrations (0.01 to 10 mg/L) and was unaffected by organic acids present in apple juice. Additionally, nanoSe@CBs showed negligible effects on the quality of apple juice. Overall, nanoSe@CBs open up possibilities to be used as a safe, low-cost and highly-efficient adsorbent for the removal of Hg(II) from juices and other liquid foods.

Oral Administration of Apple Pectin Solution Improves Atopic Dermatitis in a Mouse Model.

The development of atopic dermatitis (AD) involves multiple factors. Three such factors are particularly important in AD onset: immune abnormalities, skin barrier dysfunction, and itching. Many studies report that an imbalance between helper T (Th)1 and Th2 cells causes AD. Apple pectin, a prebiotic, has preventative effects in other allergic diseases (e.g., bronchial asthma and AD), but its potential benefits in AD are unclear. In this study, we investigated the effect of oral apple pectin administration on skin inflammation in an AD mouse model and examined changes in T cells involved in AD. To induce AD, a picryl chloride solution was applied to the shaved back skin of male NC/Nga mice. AD mice then received an oral apple pectin solution (0.4% or 4%) for 35 d. Compared with untreated AD mice, mice in both apple pectin-treated groups showed improvement in AD-induced inflammation and skin symptoms. Histological evaluation showed that apple pectin treatment attenuated epidermal thickening and decreased the number of mast cells and CD4+ cells in AD-induced mice. Apple pectin treatment also reduced serum IgE concentration, as well as expression of the inflammation indicator cyclooxygenase-2 and the Th2-related factors thymic stromal lymphopoietin, interleukin-4, and GATA3. Additionally, increased mRNA expression of the genes that encode interferon-γ and T-bet, which are Th1-related factors, and forkhead box protein P3, were observed in the apple pectin-treated groups. Our findings suggest that apple pectin treatment ameliorates AD by increasing regulatory T cells and improving the Th1/Th2 balance in the skin of AD model mice.

Gut microbiota modulation and effects of a diet enriched in apple pomace on inflammation in a DSS-induced colitis mouse model.

Certain types of soluble dietary fibre, such as pectin and pectic oligosaccharides from different sources, have demonstrated protective effects against inflammation in DSS-induced colitis mouse models. In this work, we have evaluated the impact of a diet enriched in apple pomace (AP-diet), an agricultural by-product with a significant content of pectin and that previously demonstrated prebiotic properties in human fecal batch fermentation models, on the gut microbiota composition, intestinal damage and inflammation markers in a DSS-induced colitis model. We found that the apple pomace enriched diet (AP-diet), providing a significant amount of pectin with demonstrated prebiotic properties, was associated with a slower increase in the disease activity index, translating into better clinical symptomatology of the animals. Histological damage scoring confirmed less severe damage in those animals receiving an AP-diet before and during the DSS administration period. Some serum inflammatory markers, such as TNFα, also demonstrated lower levels in the group receiving the AP-diet, compared to the control diet. AP-diet administration is also associated with the modulation of key taxa in the colonic microbiota of animals, such as some Lachnospiraceae genera and Ruminococcus species, including commensal short chain fatty acid producers that could play a role in attenuating inflammation at the intestinal level.

Partitioning and in vitro bioaccessibility of apple polyphenols during mechanical and physiological extraction: A hierarchical clustering analysis with LC-ESI-QTOF-MS/MS.

Polyphenol partitioning during mechanical (cold-pressing) and physiological (digestion) extraction at the individual polyphenol and subclass level was investigated. UHPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS/MS analysis yielded a comprehensive identification of 45 polyphenols whose semi-quantification revealed a hierarchical clustering strongly determined by polyphenol structure and their location within the apple tissue. For instance, pomace retained most flavonols and flavanols (degree of polymerization DP 5-7), which were highly hydrophobic, hydroxylated, or large (>434 Da), and more abundant in peel. In vitro digestion UHPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS/MS analysis of whole apple (and its corresponding matrix-free extract) clustered polyphenols into five main groups according to their interaction with plant cell walls (PCWs) during each digestion phase. This grouping was not reproduced in pomace, which exhibited a greater matrix effect than whole apple during oral and gastric digestion. Nevertheless, the interaction between most polyphenol groups, including dihydrochalcones, flavanols (DP 1-4) and hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives, and pomace PCWs was lost during intestinal digestion.

Effect of apple high-methoxyl pectin on heat-induced gelation of silver carp myofibrillar protein.

The effect of adding apple high-methoxy pectin (HMP) (0-3 mg∙mL-1) on heat-induced gel characteristics of low concentration silver carp myofibrillar protein (MP) (15 mg∙mL-1) was studied. It was found that the hardness of gel increased by 20.6 times with adding 2 mg∙mL-1 HMP. Besides, HMP aided in the development of disulfide bonds and the aggregation of hydrophobic groups. During gel formation, the maximal storage modulus (G') of samples supplemented with 2 mg·mL-1 HMP was raised by a factor of 2.7. Of note, the images of SEM showed that protein and water were tightly combined with a proper amount of HMP and made its pores more uniform and dense. Meantime, the addition of moderate amounts of HMP enabled the formation of gels with favorable texture and performance at low concentration of MP was identified, which could provide a theoretical reference for the design and production of flesh low-calorie food gel.

Apple Pomace Extract Improves MK-801-Induced Memory Impairment in Mice.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disease that involves progressive cognitive decline accompanied by synaptic degeneration and impaired neurotransmission. Recent studies revealed that apple pomace, a waste byproduct of the apple processing industry, has beneficial health properties, but its potential to prevent and treat AD has not been determined. Herein, we examined the effects of apple pomace extract on N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor antagonist MK-801-induced memory impairment in mice. Repeated treatment with apple pomace extract for 7 days reversed the MK-801-induced impairment of associative memory and recognition memory. RNA sequencing revealed that repeated treatment with apple pomace extract altered the gene expression profile in the hippocampus of mice. Real-time PCR showed that apple pomace extract induced upregulation of the mRNA expression for Zfp125 and Gstp1. Furthermore, gene sets related to synapse and neurotransmission were upregulated by apple pomace extract. These findings indicate that apple pomace extract may be useful for the prevention and treatment of AD.

Comparative study on thermo-mechanical, structural and functional properties of pectin extracted from immature wasted apples and commercial pectin.

Pectin yield of 22.22 ± 0.98 % (dry basis) was achieved from prematurely dropped Golden Delicious apples, having a light orange hue (hue value: 78.08 ± 0.04) and an overall color difference (ΔE) of 9.92 ± 0.01 compared to commercial pectin (CP). Extracted AP exhibited a lower equivalent weight (725.24 ± 29.73) and higher methoxy content (8.36 ± 0.28 %) in contrast to CP. However, a similar degree of esterification of 71.57 ± 0.79 and 70.55 ± 0.59 %, was observed in AP and CP respectively. Apple pectin demonstrated slight lower galacturonic acid (GalA) content of 68.10 ± 3.94 % in comparison to 72.31 ± 4.62 % of CP, which was further corroborated by reduced intensity in FTIR fingerprint region (912-1025 cm-1). Morphology revealed a sheet-like cloudy appearance indicating a significant presence of associated sugars whereas X-ray diffraction highlighted the highly amorphous nature of AP. AP and CP solutions (3-9 %) displayed a shear-thinning flow and viscoelastic behavior where the loss (G') moduli dominated over the storage moduli (G"). Owing to high degree of esterification, galacturonic acid content (>65 %) that aligns with commercial standards and viscoelastic behavior, the extracted AP holds promise for potential utilization in commercial applications. This study underscores the potential for sustainable utilization of prematurely dropped apples through pectin extraction, contributing to valorization of the wasted bioresource.

Phytochemical profiles, antioxidant activities, and synergistic antiproliferative effects of blueberry and apple peel extracts.

BACKGROUND: Blueberries and apples exhibit favorable bioactivity and health benefits as a result of their rich phytochemicals. Natural phytochemicals exist in complex forms, but there are few reports on whether have additive, synergistic or antagonistic effects between different phytochemicals. The present study aimed to elucidate the synergistic effects of blueberry extract (BE) and apple peel extract (APE) together with respect to inhibiting the proliferation of HepG2 liver cancer cells. Meanwhile, phytochemical characterization of BE and APE was conducted by HPLC, and total antioxidant activity was determined via a cellular antioxidant activity assay, oxygen radical absorption capacity assay and peroxy radical scavenging capacity assay. RESULTS: The results showed that BE and APE were rich in phytochemicals and had potent antioxidant activities, which synergistically inhibited cell proliferation. In the bilateral combination, the dose reduction index value increased by two-fold, and the combination index value at 95% inhibition was less than 1. Additionally, BE + APE supplementation could promote the expression levels of p53 and c-myc genes. In conclusion, the BE and APE had strong antioxidant activity and exhibited synergistic inhibition against proliferation of HepG2 cells. CONCLUSION: The present study can provide a theoretical basis for the synergistic effect of different phytochemicals in health care. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

Synergistic effects of microbial transglutaminase and apple pectin on the gelation properties of pea protein isolate and its application to probiotic encapsulation.

The low gelation capacity of pea protein isolate (PPI) limits their use in food industry. Therefore, microbial transglutaminase (MTG) and apple pectin (AP) were combined to modify PPI to enhance its gelling characteristics, and the mechanism of MTG-induced PPI-AP composite gel generation was investigated. PPI (10 wt%) could not form a gel at 40 °C, while MTG-treated PPI (10 wt%) formed a self-supporting gel at 40 °C. Subsequently, the addition of AP further promoted the crosslinking of PPI and significantly improved the water holding capacity, rheology, and strength of PPI gels, which was attributed to both hydrogen and isopeptide bonds in the composite gel. Additionally, the PPI-AP composite gel showed excellent protection ability, and the survival rate of probiotics could reach over 90%, which could be used as an effective delivery system. This study verified that MTG and AP were efficient in enhancing the functional quality of PPI gels.

Determination of copper ion at trace levels in apple tea samples by simultaneous complexation and spray assisted microextraction method prior to detection by flame atomic absorption spectrophotometry.

In the present study, a green and sensitive analytical method for the determination of copper ion at trace levels in apple tea samples was developed. Simultaneous complexation/extraction of the analyte were achieved by spraying-based fine droplet formation liquid-phase microextraction (SFDF-LPME). Copper ion was complexed with a Schiff base chelating agent called as N,N'-Bis(salicylidene)-1,2-phenylenediamine (BSP). Under the optimum conditions, the developed SFDF-LPME-FAAS and FAAS system were assessed with respect to limit of detection (LOD), limit of quantitation (LOQ), linearity and percent relative standard deviation (%RSD). LOD and LOQ values for SFDF-LPME-FAAS method were found to be 6.0 and 19.9 µg/kg, respectively. Enhancement in calibration sensitivity for developed method was found as 23 folds. In addition, accuracy/suitability of the developed SFDF-LPME-FAAS method were confirmed by spiking experiments. Two different apple tea samples were spiked to different concentration values and percent recovery results from 91.1 and 123.8 % proved the accuracy/suitability of the method.

Screening of rhizosphere nitrogen fixing, phosphorus and potassium solubilizing bacteria of Malus sieversii (Ldb.) Roem. and the effect on apple growth.

Nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium inorganic fertilizers are commonly used when growing apples, but their excessive application has resulted in a decline in soil fertility and therefore an inability to maintain sustainable cultivation systems. It is possible to compensate for this with biofertilizers. Nitrogen-fixing, phosphorus solubilizing, and potassium solubilizing bacteria are biofertilizers with a broad range of possible uses. In this study, beneficial microorganisms were screened from the rhizosphere soil of the apple tree, Malus sieversii (Ldb.) Roem., which is rich in microbial diversity in natural environments. It was essential to investigate their effects on the growth of apple seedlings. Eight populations of organic phosphorus solubilizing bacteria (56), inorganic phosphorus solubilizing bacteria (13), nitrogen-fixing bacteria (22), and potassium solubilizing bacteria (24) were isolated from eight populations of Xinjiang wild apple rhizosphere in Ili by medium culture. Their morphological characteristics were recorded and their activity was determined. The most active strains were Pseudomonas migulae, Pseudomonas poae, and Pseudomonas extremaustralis, which was determined by physiological and biochemical properties and 16S rDNA sequence analysis. The L16 (45) orthogonal experiment, which used the three strains as testing materials, was created to assess the effects of the strains on apple physiological indicators, soil nutrients, leaf nutrients, and biomass, as well as to identify the ideal combination, concentration, timing, and application method. The results indicated that the peroxidase (POD) and catalase (CAT) activities of apple seedlings increased significantly under the 10 treatment, and the (SOD) activities of the 0 (control) and 1 (inorganic fertilizer only) treatments were significantly lower than the other treatments; soluble sugar, soluble protein and chlorophyll contents increased in all treatments compared to 0 and 1, while malondialdehyde and proline contents increased or decreased compared to 0 and 1; apple seedlings in treatment 10 had the highest soil N, P, and K content, leaf N, P, and K content and biomass were also all highest in treatment 10. In summary, the strains screened for the test can be used as biofertilizers and the optimum application was determined for treatment 10, meaning that the results also provide a theoretical basis for their application in artificially grown orchards.

Metabolomics combined with physiology and transcriptomics reveal key metabolic pathway responses in apple plants exposure to different selenium concentrations.

Selenium (Se) can be absorbed by plants, thereby affects plant physiological activity, interferes gene expression, alters metabolite content and influences plant growth. However, the molecular mechanism underlying the plant response to Se remains unclear. In this study, apple plants were exposed to Se at concentrations of 0, 3, 6, 9, 12, 24, and 48 µM. Low concentrations of Se promoted plant growth, while high Se concentrations (≥24 µM) reduced photosynthesis, disturbed carbon and nitrogen metabolism, damaged the antioxidant system, and ultimately inhibited plant growth. The transcriptome and metabolome revealed that Se mainly affected three pathways, namely the 'biosynthesis of amino acids', 'starch and sucrose metabolism', and 'phenylpropanoid biosynthesis' pathways. 9 µM Se improved the synthesis, catabolism and utilization of amino acids and sugars, ultimately promoted plant growth. However, 24 µM Se up-regulated the related genes expression of PK, GPT, P5CS, SUS, SPS and CYP98A, and accumulated a large number of osmoregulation substances, such as citric acid, L-proline, D-sucrose and chlorogenic acid in the roots, ultimately affected the balance between plant growth and defense. In conclusion, this study reveals new insights into the key metabolic pathway in apple plants responses to Se.

Exploratory comparison of flower visiting behavior and pollination ability of mason bees, bumble bees, and honey bees.

This study explored the flower visiting behaviors and pollination abilities of mason bees (Osmia excavata Alfken (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae)), bumble bees (Bombus terrestris (Linnaeus, 1758) (Hymenoptera: Apidae)), and Italian honey bees (Apis mellifera ligustica Spinola (Hymenoptera: Apidae)) in apple orchards in early spring in Jinan (located in the central region of Shandong) and Yantai (located in the Peninsula of Shandong). We compared the pollen collection patterns, flower visiting behavior, flying speed, and effects on apple pollination of the 3 types of bees. The frequencies of flower visits were significantly higher for mason bees (12.89/min in Jinan and 10.63/min in Yantai) than bumble bees and Italian honey bees in the 2 regions. The single flower residence times were significantly higher for Italian honey bees (8.22 s in Jinan and 9.43 s in Yantai), but Italian honey bees were most affected by the climate. The 3 bees differed significantly in terms of the amount of apple pollen collected and their effects on the fruit setting rate in apples (mason bees > bumble bees > Italian honey bees). The results showed that the mason bee was the most suitable pollinating species for spring apple orchards; Bumble bees were more suitable as alternative pollinators during cloudy and low temperatures; Italian honey bees were able to take advantage of their large number of worker bees in sunny and warm weather. Compared to individual bee species, a combination of 2 or 3 species of bees might be more advantageous in dealing with complex and variable weather conditions.

[Seasonal Regulation of Soil Microbial Carbon and Phosphorus Metabolisms in an Apple Orchard: Evidence from the Enzymatic Stoichiometry Method].

Soil microbial carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) nutrient requirements and metabolic limitations are closely related to the availability of environmental nutrients. However, it is unclear how manure and chemical fertilization shift nutrient limitations for microbes in terms of the soil enzymatic stoichiometry in an apple orchard. Therefore, based on the long-term experiment located in an apple orchard established in 2008, this study applied the theory and method of soil enzyme stoichiometry to systematically investigate the effects of the combined application of manure and chemical fertilizers on soil C, N, and P turnover-related enzyme activities (ß-1,4-glucosidase, BG; leucine aminopeptidase, NAG; ß-1,4-N-acetylglucosaminidase, LAP; and acid or alkaline phosphatase, PHOS) and their stoichiometric characteristics and analyzed their relationships with environmental factors and microbial carbon use efficiency. The experiment was designed with four treatments, such as, no fertilization input as the control (CK), single application of chemical fertilizer (NPK), combined application of manure and chemical fertilizer (MNPK), and single application of manure (M). The results revealed that:① at different growth stages of fruit trees, the soil microbial biomass C (microC) content of manure fertilizer treatments (MNPK and M) was significantly higher than that of no manure fertilizer treatments (CK and NPK). The content of microbial biomass N (microN) in the NPK, MNPK, and M treatments increased by 89%, 269%, and 213%, respectively, compared with that in CK (P<0.05). ② Compared with those in the fertilization treatments, CK had higher leaf N and P contents (29.8 g·kg-1 and 2.17 g·kg-1) at the germination stage, and the leaf P content at the germination stage alone was significantly negatively correlated with soil available phosphorus (AP) content. ③ Soil enzyme stoichiometry analysis demonstrated that all data points in this study were above the 1:1 line, indicating that microbial communities had a strong phosphorus limitation. The range of vector length and angle was 0.56-0.79 and 59.3°-67.7°, respectively, in the growth period of fruit trees, and the vector angle was >45° in this study, which also reflected the strong phosphorus limitation of microorganisms. ④ RDA and random forest model analysis showed that organic carbon and available nitrogen (AN) were the main physical and chemical factors affecting vector length; AP, AN, and soil water content were the main physical and chemical factors affecting vector angle. Combined with SEM analysis, AN and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) directly affected microC and microN, AP directly affected microP and microN, DOC and AP directly affected vector length, and AP and microN directly affected vector angle. In addition, microbial carbon utilization was positively correlated with vector length and negatively correlated with vector angle. In summary, the combined application of manure and chemical fertilizers regulated microbial carbon and phosphorus metabolism by affecting soil carbon and phosphorus content at different growth stages of fruit trees, thereby affecting microbial carbon utilization. This study provides a scientific basis for manure and chemical fertilizers to improve soil quality and maintain soil health.

Smart antimicrobial system based on enzyme-responsive high methoxyl pectin-whey protein isolate nanocomplex for fresh-cut apple preservation.

The increase in pectin methylesterase (PME) activity on fresh-cut apple surface can smartly trigger the controlled release of bactericidal agents encapsulated within intelligent responsive Pickering emulsions. In this study, we developed a PME-responsive nanocomplex (W-H-II) to stabilize Pickering emulsion containing thyme essential oil (TEO), preserving fresh-cut apples. W-H-II, formed by heat-induced whey protein isolate (WPI) and high methoxyl pectin (HMP) (pH 4.5, 85 °C, 15 min, WPI:HMP ratio 1:2), exhibited good pH stability due to the stabilizing effects of hydrophobic, hydrogen bonding, and electrostatic interactions. The presence of PME triggered the demethylation of HMP within W-H-II, conferring PME response characteristics. Subsequently, a bacteriostasis experiment with pectinase-producing Bacillus subtilis provided evidence of PME-triggered TEO release from W-H-II-stabilized Pickering emulsion. Furthermore, microscopy techniques were employed to verify the demulsification behavior of the emulsion when PME activity ranged from 0.25 to 2.50 U mL-1. Finally, the PME-responsive TEO Pickering emulsion effectively preserved fresh-cut apples. Stored for 6 days at 5 °C and 10 °C, as the PME activity on the apple surface increased, the decay rate of the coated group was 0 %, with a total colony count below 3.0 log CFU g-1. This study introduces a novel intelligent preservation strategy for storing fresh-cut apples.

Pollen carryover, pollinator movement, and spatial context impact the delivery of pollination services in apple orchards.

Assessing the relative contributions of different pollinator taxa to pollination services is a central task in both basic eco-evolutionary research and applied conservation and agriculture. To that end, many studies have quantified single-visit pollen deposition and visitation frequency, which together determine a pollinator species' rate of conspecific pollen delivery. However, for plant species that require or benefit from outcrossing, pollination service quality further depends upon the ratio of outcross to self-pollen deposited, which is determined by two additional pollinator traits: pollen carryover and movement patterns among genetically compatible plant individuals. Here, we compare the pollination capacities of managed honey bees, native bumble bees, and native mining bees in apple-a varietally self-incompatible commercial crop-when pollen carryover and pollinator movement patterns are considered. We constructed simulation models of outcross pollen deposition parameterized using empirically measured single-visit pollen deposition, visitation frequency, and probabilities of intertree movement exhibited by each pollinator type, as well as pollen carryover patterns simulated based on parameters reported in the literature. In these models, we also explicitly specified the spatial relationships among cross-compatible trees based on field-realistic orchard layout schemes. We found that estimated pollination service delivery was considerably reduced for all pollinator types when pollen carryover and pollinator movement patterns were considered, as compared to when only single-visit pollen deposition and visitation frequency were considered. We also found that the performance of different pollinator types varied greatly across simulated orchard layout schemes and pollen carryover scenarios, including one instance where bumble and mining bees reversed their relative rankings. In all simulations, native bumble and mining bees outperformed managed honey bees in terms of both outcross pollen delivery per unit time and per flower visited, with disparities being greatest under scenarios of low pollen carryover. We demonstrate the degree to which pollination studies may reach inaccurate conclusions regarding pollination service delivery when pollen carryover and pollinator movement patterns are ignored. Our finding of the strong context dependence of pollination efficiency, even within a single plant-pollinator taxon pair, cautions that future studies in both basic and applied pollination biology should explicitly consider the ecological context in which pollination interactions take place.