Understanding pollinator foraging behaviour and transition rates between flowers is important to maximize seed set in hybrid crops
(2020) In Apidologie- Abstract
Hybrid cauliflower production predominately relies on pollen transfer from hermaphrodite to female lines by honeybees. However, the presence of other pollinators may impact pollination success. Here, we investigate how honeybee visitation frequency and behaviour vary with plant sex and presence of blowflies and affect seed and pod set. We found substantial pollen limitation when honeybees were alone. This was likely due to their higher visitation to hermaphrodite flowers, infrequent transition from hermaphrodite to female flowers and high nectar theft in female flowers. Pollen foragers fed on nectar on hermaphrodite, but not female flowers. Moreover, when blowflies were present, the seed set was lower than that with honeybees alone. Our... (More)
Hybrid cauliflower production predominately relies on pollen transfer from hermaphrodite to female lines by honeybees. However, the presence of other pollinators may impact pollination success. Here, we investigate how honeybee visitation frequency and behaviour vary with plant sex and presence of blowflies and affect seed and pod set. We found substantial pollen limitation when honeybees were alone. This was likely due to their higher visitation to hermaphrodite flowers, infrequent transition from hermaphrodite to female flowers and high nectar theft in female flowers. Pollen foragers fed on nectar on hermaphrodite, but not female flowers. Moreover, when blowflies were present, the seed set was lower than that with honeybees alone. Our study highlights the importance of understanding the plant mating system and pollinator foraging behaviour with and without other species present in order to maximize seed set in hybrid crops.
(Less)
- author
- Gagic, Vesna ; Kirkland, Lindsey ; Kendall, Liam K. LU ; Jones, Jeremy ; Kirkland, Jeffrey ; Spurr, Cameron and Rader, Romina
- publishing date
- 2020-08-17
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- keywords
- blowfly, honeybee, nectar theft, pollen theft, pollination
- in
- Apidologie
- publisher
- Springer
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:85089518801
- ISSN
- 0044-8435
- DOI
- 10.1007/s13592-020-00800-2
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- no
- id
- 8445408b-28bd-4dd3-9b3c-0e8f577b11d0
- date added to LUP
- 2020-09-17 08:53:25
- date last changed
- 2022-04-19 00:49:52
@article{8445408b-28bd-4dd3-9b3c-0e8f577b11d0,
abstract = {{<p>Hybrid cauliflower production predominately relies on pollen transfer from hermaphrodite to female lines by honeybees. However, the presence of other pollinators may impact pollination success. Here, we investigate how honeybee visitation frequency and behaviour vary with plant sex and presence of blowflies and affect seed and pod set. We found substantial pollen limitation when honeybees were alone. This was likely due to their higher visitation to hermaphrodite flowers, infrequent transition from hermaphrodite to female flowers and high nectar theft in female flowers. Pollen foragers fed on nectar on hermaphrodite, but not female flowers. Moreover, when blowflies were present, the seed set was lower than that with honeybees alone. Our study highlights the importance of understanding the plant mating system and pollinator foraging behaviour with and without other species present in order to maximize seed set in hybrid crops.</p>}},
author = {{Gagic, Vesna and Kirkland, Lindsey and Kendall, Liam K. and Jones, Jeremy and Kirkland, Jeffrey and Spurr, Cameron and Rader, Romina}},
issn = {{0044-8435}},
keywords = {{blowfly; honeybee; nectar theft; pollen theft; pollination}},
language = {{eng}},
month = {{08}},
publisher = {{Springer}},
series = {{Apidologie}},
title = {{Understanding pollinator foraging behaviour and transition rates between flowers is important to maximize seed set in hybrid crops}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s13592-020-00800-2}},
doi = {{10.1007/s13592-020-00800-2}},
year = {{2020}},
}