Recently, there has been heightened interest in self-compatible almond varieties by the California almond industry, beekeepers and the media. This is in response to commercial introduction of a self-compatible variety, and information released on UC Davis and USDA-ARS breeding programs, which are developing self-compatible varieties.

The key question is: Will self-compatible varieties eliminate the need for bee pollination, particularly honey bee pollination services? The answer is that over time, the introduction of successful self-compatible varieties will reduce, but not eliminate, reliance on bees.