Floral phenology and morphology of colchicine-induced tetraploid Acacia mangium compared with diploid A. mangium and A. auriculiformis: implications for interploidy pollination

2011 ◽  
Vol 59 (6) ◽  
pp. 582 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Q. Nghiem ◽  
C. E. Harwood ◽  
J. L. Harbard ◽  
A. R. Griffin ◽  
T. H. Ha ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Foraging Behaviour ◽  
Acacia Mangium ◽  
Flowering Period ◽  
Flower Structure ◽  
Ploidy Levels ◽  
Floral Phenology ◽  
Insect Pollinators

Floral phenology and morphology of colchicine-induced auto-tetraploid trees of Acacia mangium Willd. (AM-4x) growing in Vietnam were compared with adjacent diploid A. mangium (AM-2x) and A. auriculiformis A.Cunn. ex Benth (AA-2x). Flowering lasted for several months with a slightly later peak flowering period for A. auriculiformis (December–January), than for A. mangium (November–December). Flower spikes of AM-4x were shorter and had fewer flowers per spike than those of AM-2x, but were longer and had more flowers than AA-2x. Percentages of male to hermaphrodite flowers were less than 23% for all three species/ploidy combinations. Flowers of AM-4x had slightly shorter styles than did AM-2x, but AM-4x stigma and polyad diameters were greater. For all polyad-stigma combinations among species/ploidy levels, at least one polyad could be accommodated. AM-4x had fewer (13) ovules per ovary, compared with AM-2x and AA-2x (14–16). AM-4x set fewer (less than 3) seeds per pod than did AM-2x and AA-2x (7–8 and 5–6, respectively). Foraging behaviour of the main insect pollinators (honeybees) and examination of polyads collected from them suggested interspecific and interploidy pollination would occur. There appeared to be no phenophase or flower structure barriers to interploidy pollination.

scholarly journals Taxon-specific temporal shifts in pollinating insects in mass-flowering crops and field margins in Ireland

2021 ◽  
Vol 28 ◽  
pp. 90-107
Author(s):  
Irene Bottero ◽  
Simon Hodge ◽  
Jane Stout
Keyword(s):  
Agricultural Landscapes ◽  
Floral Resources ◽  
Field Margins ◽  
Flowering Period ◽  
Field Margin ◽  
Mass Flowering ◽  
Insect Abundance ◽  
Insect Pollinators ◽  
Pollinating Insects ◽  
Hover Flies

In intensively cropped agricultural landscapes, the vegetation in edges and hedges (henceforth “field margins”) represents an important semi-natural habitat providing fundamental resources for insect pollinators. We surveyed the pollinating insects associated with two mass-flowering crops, apple and oilseed rape, and compared the insect fauna of the main crop with that in the field margins in the grass-dominated agricultural landscapes of Ireland. Different insect groups responded differently to the presence of the flowering crop, with honey and bumble bees more abundant in crops than margins during crop flowering, but more hover flies and butterflies in margins throughout. The composition of the insect assemblage also shifted over time due to taxon-specific changes in abundance. For example, solitary bees were most abundant early in the season, whereas hover flies peaked, and butterflies declined, in mid-summer. The temporal shift in insect community structure was associated with parallel changes in the field margin flora, and, although we found no relationship between insect abundance and abundance of field margin flowers, Bombus abundance and total insect abundance were positively correlated with floral diversity. After the crop flowering period, floral abundance and diversity was maintained via margin plants, but by late summer, floral resources declined. Our results confirm the importance of field margins for insect pollinators of entomophilous crops set within grass-dominated landscapes, even during the crop flowering period, and provide additional support for agri-environment schemes that protect and/or improve field margin biodiversity. The results also demonstrate that although shifts in insect and plant communities may be linked phenologically there may not always be simple relationships between insect and floral abundance and richness. 

Diversity and foraging behaviour of insect pollinators in onion

2018 ◽  
Vol 80 (4) ◽  
pp. 1366 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. Karuppaiah ◽  
P.S. Soumia ◽  
Priyanka D. Wagh
Keyword(s):  
Foraging Behaviour ◽  
Insect Pollinators

scholarly journals Diversity and Foraging Behaviour of Insect Pollinators on Murraya koenigii (L. ) (Rutaceae)

2020 ◽  
pp. 15-19
Author(s):  
M. M. Dhore
Keyword(s):  
Apis Mellifera ◽  
Foraging Behaviour ◽  
Apis Cerana ◽  
Early Morning ◽  
Insect Species ◽  
Apis Florea ◽  
Apis Dorsata ◽  
Murraya Koenigii ◽  
Insect Pollinators ◽  
Apis Cerana Indica

The present studies on diversity and foraging behaviour of insect pollinators on Murraya koenigii (L. )was carried out during March - April 2019 at Akot town situated in Akola district of Maharashtra. Ten insect species visited Murraya koenigii flowers viz. Five hymenopterans and five lepidopterons. This study revealed that hymenopterans were found to be the most dominant (97. 5%) flower visitors, followed by lepidopteron insects (2. 5%). Among these Apis florea, Apis cerana indica, and Apis dorsata were found to be the most frequent pollinators. The result on foraging behaviour of bees Apis florea started visiting Murrya koenigii flowers in early morning at 06. 00 hrs, Apis cerana indica at 6. 30 hrs and ceased their activity later in the evening. Apis mellifera and Apis dorsata , they started visiting the flowers from 7. 00hrs. Maximum foraging was by Apis florea (12 flowers /minute)followed by Apis cerana indica (10 flowers/minute )and Apis dorsata (9-10 flowers /minute). Time spent per flower was the maximum with lepidopteron (25 sec. /flower) followed by Moth (15 sec. /flower)

scholarly journals Flowering phenology and germination ability of pollens for Acacia mangium and A. auriculiformis

2012 ◽  
Vol 61 (1-6) ◽  
pp. 228-236 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Kato ◽  
S. Yamaguchi ◽  
O. Chigira ◽  
N. Osaka
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Factor ◽  
Germination Rate ◽  
Acacia Mangium ◽  
Flowering Phenology ◽  
The Other ◽  
Flowering Period ◽  
Seed Sources ◽  
Germination Ability ◽  
Flowering Initiation ◽  
The Mean

Abstract A four-year investigation was conducted on the flowering phenology and germination ability of pollens from A. mangium and A. auriculiformis ramets to determine whether the flowering phenology and germination ability of pollens differed among clones or seed sources. The number of A. mangium and A. auriculiformis clones used was 19 and 23, collected from 17 and 8 seed sources, respectively. The flowering of each ramet was visually observed every three or four days for three seasons, with one season being from April to the following March, and the germination ability of pollens collected from the flowers was investigated at 1 day, 6 months, and 12 months after being stored at -18°C. The mean percentage of flowering per clone which was calculated by dividing the number of flowering ramets by the number of ramets used was low on A. mangium for each season, whereas it was more than 60% on A. auriculiformis for each season, with no significant variations among the seasons. The flowering initiation and flowering period also showed non-significant variations or differences among the seasons and among most of the clones within the seed sources. On the other hand, the percentage of flowering per clone, the flowering initiation, and the flowering period on A. auriculiformis showed significant variations and differences among the seed sources although those were similar on some seed sources. On both tree species, the germination rate of pollens per clone showed significant variations among clones, regardless of the seasons and number of days stored, and also among clones within seed sources for about half the cases. These results suggest that the flowering phenology is in some degree determined by a genetic factor such as the seed source, whereas the germination ability of pollens is mainly determined by a genetic factor in each clone.

Averting robo-bees: why free-flying robotic bees are a bad idea

2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (6) ◽  
pp. 723-729
Author(s):  
Roslyn Gleadow ◽  
Jim Hanan ◽  
Alan Dorin
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Computer Simulation ◽  
Food Security ◽  
European Countries ◽  
Plant Interactions ◽  
Plant Insect Interactions ◽  
Native Habitat ◽  
Insect Pollinators ◽  
Insect Interactions

Food security and the sustainability of native ecosystems depends on plant-insect interactions in countless ways. Recently reported rapid and immense declines in insect numbers due to climate change, the use of pesticides and herbicides, the introduction of agricultural monocultures, and the destruction of insect native habitat, are all potential contributors to this grave situation. Some researchers are working towards a future where natural insect pollinators might be replaced with free-flying robotic bees, an ecologically problematic proposal. We argue instead that creating environments that are friendly to bees and exploring the use of other species for pollination and bio-control, particularly in non-European countries, are more ecologically sound approaches. The computer simulation of insect-plant interactions is a far more measured application of technology that may assist in managing, or averting, ‘Insect Armageddon' from both practical and ethical viewpoints.

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