1. Late flowering time enhances insect pollination of turnip rape
- Author
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Marjaana Toivonen, Mikko Kuussaari, Hanne Rajanen, Irina Herzon, Jenni Toikkanen, and Department of Agricultural Sciences
- Subjects
0106 biological sciences ,flower visitation ,Pollination ,119 Other natural sciences ,media_common.quotation_subject ,ECOSYSTEM SERVICES ,Insect ,wild bees ,BEES ,Biology ,Flowering time ,010603 evolutionary biology ,01 natural sciences ,BUMBLEBEES ,Ecological intensification ,turnip rape ,Pesticide use ,Pollinator ,EXPOSURE ,BRASSICA-NAPUS L ,LANDSCAPE STRUCTURE ,media_common ,2. Zero hunger ,Ecology ,BEE POLLINATORS ,Landscape structure ,ECOLOGICAL INTENSIFICATION ,1184 Genetics, developmental biology, physiology ,syrphid flies ,NEONICOTINOID PESTICIDES ,04 agricultural and veterinary sciences ,15. Life on land ,Horticulture ,YIELD ,1181 Ecology, evolutionary biology ,040103 agronomy & agriculture ,0401 agriculture, forestry, and fisheries ,ABUNDANCE ,pollinators ,landscape heterogeneity ,pesticide use - Abstract
Ecological intensification has been proposed as a strategy to mitigate the impacts of conventional intensive land use on pollinators and insect pollination. However, research has concentrated on the effects of land management on pollinator abundance and diversity, while studies directly measuring pollination services are still lacking for many crops and regions. This study examines the effects of landscape heterogeneity, pesticide use intensity and flowering time on insect pollination of turnip rape Brassica rapa ssp. oleifera, a major oil crop at high latitudes. The field experiment included monitoring pollinator visits on turnip rape flowers and measuring yield in 34 spring-sown turnip rape fields in Southern Finland. The fields were situated in two landscape types that differed in the cover of arable land and represented independent gradients of pesticide use intensity and flowering time. Based on flower visits and number of seeds per silique, turnip rape was best pollinated in fields with late flowering time. The result suggests a temporal mismatch between crop flowering and the availability of pollination service in early sown fields. The increase in flower visits during summer was steeper among fields with low than high pesticide use, possibly due to a faster colony growth of important bee pollinators. Pollinator community in turnip rape fields was more diverse in heterogeneous landscapes with less arable land than in homogeneous field-dominated landscapes, suggesting higher stability of pollination services in diverse landscapes. Total yield per plant was positively related to pesticide use intensity. The relationship between insect pollination and total yield was weakened by high compensation capacity of turnip rape, the plants producing more flowers under poor pollination.Synthesis and applications. Crop pollination can be enhanced by shifting sowing time to better match crop flowering to the peak availability of the most important pollinators. Reduced pesticide use may also enhance pollination services but can lead to the total yield reduction due to pests. This highlights the need for pollinator-friendly pest control methods to maintain turnip rape yields while conserving pollination services. Foreign Language AbstractTiivistelma Maatalouden ekologista tehostamista on esitetty strategiaksi, jonka avulla intensiivisen maankayton kielteisia vaikutuksia polyttajiin ja hyonteispolytykseen voidaan hillita. Tutkimukset maankayton vaikutuksista viljelykasvien hyonteispolytykseen kuitenkin puuttuvat yha monilta viljelykasveilta ja alueilta. Tama tutkimus tarkasteli maiseman monimuotoisuuden, torjunta-aineiden kayton ja kukinta-ajan vaikutusta rypsin hyonteispolytykseen. Peltokokeessa seurattiin polyttajien vierailuja rypsin kukilla ja mitattiin satoa 34 kevatrypsipellolla Uudellamaalla. Pellot sijaitsivat kahdessa maisematyypissa, joista toinen oli peltovaltainen ja toinen monimuotoisempi ja vahemman peltoa sisaltava. Lisaksi pellot erosivat toisistaan torjunta-aineiden kayton ja kukinta-ajan suhteen. Polyttajien kukkavierailut ja siementen maara per litu olivat korkeimmillaan myohaan kukkineilla rypsipelloilla, mika kertoo hyvasta polytyksesta. Tuloksen perusteella aikaisin kylvetyt rypsipellot saattavat kukkia liian aikaisin polyttajien saatavuuden nakokulmasta. Voimakkaimmin polyttajien maara lisaantyi kesan aikana niiden peltojen joukossa, joilla ei kaytetty torjunta-aineita. Mahdollinen selitys on, etta tarhamehilaisten ja kimalaisten yhdyskunnat kasvoivat nopeimmin naiden peltojen laheisyydessa. Polyttajien monimuotoisuus oli suurempi monimuotoisessa kuin peltovaltaisessa maisemassa, mika parantaa polytyspalvelun vakautta muuttuvissa olosuhteissa. Kokonaissato per kasvi nousi torjunta-aineiden kayton lisaantyessa. Hyonteispolytyksen ja sadon valista yhteytta heikensi rypsin hyva kompensaatiokyky, jonka ansiosta heikosti polyttyneet kasvit tuottivat enemman kukkia.Yhteenveto ja sovellukset. Viljelykasvin polytysta voi parantaa saatamalla kylvoaikaa siten, etta kasvin kukinta ajoittuu tarkeimpien polyttajien runsaushuippuun. Torjunta-aineiden kayton vahentaminen voi parantaa polytysta mutta laskea samaan aikaan satoa tuholaisten ja rikkakasvien lisaantymisen takia. Polyttajaystavallisten kasvinsuojelukeinojen kehittaminen on tarkeaa korkeiden rypsisatojen ja polytyspalveluiden sailymisen kannalta. Crop pollination can be enhanced by shifting sowing time to better match crop flowering to the peak availability of the most important pollinators. Reduced pesticide use may also enhance pollination services but can lead to the total yield reduction due to pests. This highlights the need for pollinator-friendly pest control methods to maintain turnip rape yields while conserving pollination services. peerReviewed
- Published
- 2019
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