Abstract
Mass-flowering crops, such as oilseed rape (OSR; Brassica napus), provide pulses of nectar and pollen, helping to support pollinators and their pollination services in agricultural landscapes. Despite their value to declining pollinators, varietal in-field OSR testing focusses on agronomic traits, with floral resources being largely overlooked. OSR has a high varietal turnover, and consequently, floral resource data collected for a specific variety quickly become redundant. Here, we explore the potential to predict floral resource availability using agronomic trait data routinely collected in varietal trials. To build predictive models, we investigated the relationships between agronomic traits and pollen and nectar availability in 19 OSR varieties. Nectar quality was positively influenced by early vigour, as well as winter hardiness in conventional varieties and stem stiffness in hybrid varieties. Pollen quantity was driven by different traits, with early maturation having a negative impact in conventional varieties and resistance to lodging having a positive impact in hybrid varieties. Our study highlights the potential to predict floral resources using agronomic trait data, enabling the rapid assessment of these key resources in future OSR varieties without costly sampling. Agronomic traits relating to increased nectar quality were also agronomically favourable, indicating benefits to both pollinators and growers. The inclusion of modelled floral resource data in recommended varietal lists would enable growers to make informed decisions about varietal selection based on local pollinator populations.
Highlights
Simple linear regression showed that sugar content per flower significantly decreased with increasing temperature and vapour pressure deficit (VPD), whereas a positive relationship was found with relative humidity (Figure 1)
Filipiak [70] reports that pollen quality is more important than quantity for bee growth and development. In this preliminary study on 19 oilseed rape (OSR) varieties, we have demonstrated that sugar and pollen quantity can be predicted using agronomic trait data collected during national testing
Our research indicates that agronomic traits that are beneficial to growers are favourable to pollinators with OSR varieties exhibiting such traits producing nectar with higher sugar content
Summary
There has been considerable concern over the decline of insect pollinators and the impact of depleted pollination services on our crops, wildflowers and trees [1,2,3,4,5]. More than 87% of flowering plant species profit from animal pollination [6], and 70% of leading crops have the potential to increase yields and/or quality as a result of animalmediated pollination [7]. Pollinator declines, seriously threaten biodiversity and food security. Causes for this decline include the destruction of semi-natural habitats, such as hedgerows and wildflower-rich habitats [8]; increased insecticide use [9]; and climate change and invasive species and pathogens [10]. The key contributing factor is the decrease in floral resource availability linked with agricultural intensification [2,7,11]
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