The floral volatile methyl salicylate influences pollinators and pollination at multiple spatial scales

Floral volatiles such as methyl salicylate (MeSA) can enhance pollination services by attracting pollinators, yet their effectiveness may depend on farm management and landscape context. We hypothesized that MeSA’s influence on pollinator activity and pollination is shaped by both field- and landscape-level factors in cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon), a pollinator-dependent crop. Over two years, we evaluated pollinator attraction and pollination using MeSA-baited and unbaited traps and cages across five cultivars at 50 sites on three cranberry farms in New Jersey, USA. We sampled managed honey bees (Apis mellifera) and wild pollinators, and measured berry count, volume, and mass to estimate yield, while also quantifying pesticide use and landscape complexity within 100, 250, 500, and 1500 m buffer zones. MeSA increased total pollinator captures, particularly A. mellifera and syrphid flies (Toxomerus marginatus), and enhanced yield. Fungicides reduced A. mellifera, especially in unbaited traps, whereas insecticides interacted positively with MeSA to increase yield. MeSA effects varied by cultivar, with ‘Crimson Queen’ showing greater T. marginatus abundance and larger berries. At the 1500 m scale, more waterbody patches were associated with increased pollinator visitation and berry metrics under MeSA, whereas greater edge length was linked to reduced benefits across scales. MeSA also interacted with forest and wetland cover to support higher T. marginatus counts. Overall, MeSA improved pollinator visitation and pollination services in cranberry, but its efficacy was context-dependent, influenced by both local management practices and landscape structure. These findings suggest that floral volatiles like MeSA can enhance pollination services under specific agroecological conditions.