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Agronomy
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Ecological Research on Crop Pollinators
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Ecological Research on Crop Pollinators

A special issue of Agronomy (ISSN 2073-4395). This special issue belongs to the section "Farming Sustainability".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (20 September 2022) | Viewed by 16858

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Francis Drummond

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Biology and Ecology, University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469, USA
Interests: wild blueberry; pollination; genetics; ecology; pest ecology; simulation modeling; statistics; plant physiological ecology
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues, 

Pollination is one of the most important processes in agriculture around the world. Unfortunately, pollinators are under stress globally resulting in high levels of risk for continued production of nuts, fruits, and many vegetables. Even production of seed of the forage crop alfalfa, which large animal agriculture is dependent upon, may not be sustainable in the future due to the health of the Western Honey Bee in many parts of the world.

Diversification, resiliency, and sustainability of crop pollinator populations, communities, and the subsequent long-term pollination potential is an essential ecosystem service that can only be investigated using ecological approaches across spatial scales, from within field structure, to individual farms, to landscapes. Quantitative studies are lacking in many crop/pollination systems. Only through quantitative approaches can predictions be made for the future and models be tested in the design of optimal sustainable systems.

This special issue will focus on “Ecological Research on Crop Pollinators and Pollination”. We welcome creative ecological research, literature reviews, and thought-provoking editorials. The topics that will be considered are many but not limited to: 1) pollinator ecology such as pollinator competitive or synergistic interactions, pollinator species redundancy, priority dynamics among pollinators, plant/pollinator interactions and numerical and functional responses resulting in pollination, effects of pesticides and other management tactics; 2) plant reproductive ecology addressing issues such as stigma and pollen viability over time, outcrossing, autogamy, pollen competition, and fruit drop; 3) effects of weather conditions, irrigation, wind breaks are still poorly understood on pollinator foraging, visitation, and pollination; and 4) field edges, matrices they are imbedded in, distance from refugia, landcover type, or landscape features that affect pollinator community abundance and richness, foraging, post-emergence dispersal, and pollination are of interest, sinks and sources of pollinator communities across a landscape, pollinator reservoirs and their size and spatial orientation relative to crop fields, and variation in time and space of mass flowering crops all are relevant to our understanding of cropping system design. Synthesis of ecological interactions in crop pollination systems through simulation modeling is encouraged and will be grouped together in a subsection of the issue that will have the focus of providing scenarios of more sustainable crop pollination.                

Prof. Francis Drummond
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Agronomy is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • bees
  • flies
  • moths and butterflies
  • pesticides
  • pollen transfer
  • fruit set
  • diversity
  • density
  • landscape
  • preference
  • outcrossing
  • self-pollination
  • seed set
  • mass flowering
  • plant disease and pollination

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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6 pages, 6189 KiB  
Communication
Bumble Bee Colony Maintains Nest Site despite High Disturbance Level
by Francis A. Drummond
Agronomy 2023, 13(2), 393; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy13020393 - 29 Jan 2023
Viewed by 1710
Abstract
During the 2021 spring a Bombus terricola Kirby queen initiated a nest in the hollow iron front axle of a 1950 John Deere 40U tractor that was being repaired outside in Bowdoinham, Maine. The tractor was not moved during the lengthy repair period, [...] Read more.
During the 2021 spring a Bombus terricola Kirby queen initiated a nest in the hollow iron front axle of a 1950 John Deere 40U tractor that was being repaired outside in Bowdoinham, Maine. The tractor was not moved during the lengthy repair period, from 15 April–10 June. Seven workers were observed flying out from the tractor axle upon starting it up on 10 June. The tractor was used 1–3 times a week between 15 June and 15 August, usually for 15–90 min at a time. The tractor was always returned to the same location after use. Based upon observed adults issuing from the tractor upon startup throughout the summer, the colony appeared to have survived long enough to produce gynes (next year’s queens). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecological Research on Crop Pollinators)
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22 pages, 4371 KiB  
Article
Honey Bee Exposure to the Fungicide Propiconazole in Lowbush Blueberry Fields
by Francis Andrew Drummond
Agronomy 2022, 12(12), 3081; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12123081 - 5 Dec 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2594
Abstract
The fungicide propiconazole is a commonly used fungicide in small fruit and tree fruit production in the U.S.A. In Maine wild blueberry production, it is used almost exclusively for mummy berry disease control. The goal of this study is to assess the risk [...] Read more.
The fungicide propiconazole is a commonly used fungicide in small fruit and tree fruit production in the U.S.A. In Maine wild blueberry production, it is used almost exclusively for mummy berry disease control. The goal of this study is to assess the risk of exposure to honey bee colonies deployed in wild blueberry fields for pollination. The study was conducted over a six-year period (2009–2014) in both the field and laboratory. Field surveys (2009–2011) measured the residues on blueberry flowers in 41 commercial fields across the blueberry growing region. A two-year study (2010–2011) determined the decay rate of propiconazole in blueberry fields after application. A laboratory study determined the contact LD50 of propiconazole to honey bee workers (2013). A field exposure/effect study was conducted over three years (2011–2013). In this study, 8–18 previously unexposed colonies were randomly assigned to one of two treatments, (1) isolated fields that were treated prior to bloom with the fungicide, propiconazole, but no other pesticides, or (2) isolated fields that were not treated with propiconazole or any other pesticides. The measures taken to evaluate effects of exposure monitored each year were (1) estimation of the exposure to colonies, measured as residues on flowers, workers, and in pollen brought back to hives; (2) colony population size (workers and brood); (3) queen status and presence; (4) queen oviposition rate; (5) supersedure rate; (6) egg hatch success; (7) mortality of developing larvae and pupae; (8) royal jelly deposition in wax comb cells; (9) worker longevity; (10) foraging activity; (11) treated bloom repellency to foragers; (12) colony overwintering success; (13) worker hypopharyngeal gland acini size; and (14) pathogen and parasite incidence and intensity. The results of these experiments and surveys showed that the propiconazole contact LD50 was 24,747 ppb. Residues of propiconazole were found to be commonly abundant on flowers in treated commercial fields after application with a mean concentration of 2083.8 ± 851.3 (se). The decay of propiconazole to non-detectable levels took about 40 days after application. The three-year hive deployment study showed that residues in treated fields were detected on flowers, pollen, and worker bees, demonstrating that exposure to this fungicide occurs even though it is applied before bloom. Also in the hive deployment study, evidence of reduced colony populations, increased supersedure, decreased queen oviposition rate, increased pathogen or parasite incidence and intensity, and increased overwintering colony loss due to propiconazole exposure was not found. However, propiconazole exposed colonies exhibited reduced worker longevity (17.3%), hypertrophy of 5 d old nurse bee hypopharyngeal acini (8.3%), and a 3.5 h repellency of foragers to treated bloom. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecological Research on Crop Pollinators)
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10 pages, 1171 KiB  
Article
Long-Term Sustainability Implications of Diverse Commercial Pollinator Mixtures for the Conservation Reserve Program
by Amanda J. Ashworth, Taylor Adams and Alayna Jacobs
Agronomy 2022, 12(3), 549; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12030549 - 23 Feb 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1719
Abstract
The persistence of Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) seed mixtures following planting is crucial for the long-term support of pollinator habitat; however, the role of disturbance regimes and their interactions in supporting this ecosystem service are largely unknown. This study set out to evaluate [...] Read more.
The persistence of Conservation Reserve Program (CRP) seed mixtures following planting is crucial for the long-term support of pollinator habitat; however, the role of disturbance regimes and their interactions in supporting this ecosystem service are largely unknown. This study set out to evaluate how ecological disturbances (prescribed burn, light disking, or fallow control) and commercially available diverse species mixtures (‘Hamilton’, ‘Bamert’, and ‘Holland’) affect pollinator habitat and the flowering period of commonly used CRP species mixtures. Specifically, three pollinator species mixtures were assessed for plant stand dynamics (plant density, yield, and dual-use pollinator-lignocellulosic feedstock potential); the resulting soil properties; and the total bloom count during the growing season. Following 5 years after their establishment, the proportions of flowering pollinator species varied by disturbance regime × seed mixture (p < 0.05), with the burned Hamilton and disked Holland plots having the greatest pollinator species percentages. Overall, if the long-term stability of pollinator blooms is a key consideration for management, the Hamilton mixture should be disturbed via prescribed burning, while the Holland mixture should be disked, owing to a species-specific disturbance regime preference. However, post-senescence yield and soil health properties did not vary (p > 0.05) across pollinator mixtures or disturbance regimes. Pollinator mixtures could also be harvested as a lignocellulosic feedstock without damaging pollinator habitat and providing comparable biomass for regional feedstocks; however, seeding mixtures and disturbance regimes should be considered based on desired residue usage for long-term sustainable CRP pollinator habitat. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecological Research on Crop Pollinators)
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14 pages, 1604 KiB  
Article
Flower Visitation Time and Number of Visitor Species Are Reduced by the Use of Agrochemicals in Coffee Home Gardens
by Sophie Manson, K. A. I. Nekaris, Katherine Hedger, Michela Balestri, Nabil Ahmad, Esther Adinda, Budiadi Budiadi, Muhammad Ali Imron, Vincent Nijman and Marco Campera
Agronomy 2022, 12(2), 509; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12020509 - 17 Feb 2022
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 4078
Abstract
Pollination services, from both wild and managed populations of insect pollinators, have degraded as a result of agricultural intensification. Whilst 75% of economically important crops depend on insect pollinators for cultivation, 40% of insect pollinator species are threatened with extinction. Pollination services must [...] Read more.
Pollination services, from both wild and managed populations of insect pollinators, have degraded as a result of agricultural intensification. Whilst 75% of economically important crops depend on insect pollinators for cultivation, 40% of insect pollinator species are threatened with extinction. Pollination services must be preserved if there is to be enough food for a global population whose demand is expected to double, if not triple, by 2050. Pollinator diversity and pollinator efficiency have been found to increase as a result of wildlife-friendly farming practices (i.e., natural chemicals and fertilizers and agroforestry). We evaluated the presence of insect pollinators in 42 coffee home gardens in West Java, Indonesia. Via generalized linear mixed models, we found that number of visitor species (β = 0.418 ± SE 0.194, p = 0.031) and visitation time (β = 0.845 ± SE 0.308, p = 0.006) decreased as farms were more intensely managed, (i.e., used chemical pesticides), compared to fields using organic practices. As knowledge of pollination services is widespread amongst smallholder farmers in Indonesia and beyond due to the long-held tradition of beekeeping, these results will add to their existing knowledge and empower farmers to enhance resources for pollinator species through agroforestry and natural pest management. Although we found significant differences in pollination services provided in intensely managed and wildlife-friendly farms, chemical use can affect farms far beyond a particular area of production. Therefore, pollinator conservation must be applied at a landscape level and involve all stakeholders, including farmers, when making effective policies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecological Research on Crop Pollinators)
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15 pages, 1598 KiB  
Article
Effect of Genetically Diverse Pollen on Pollination, Pollen Tube Overgrow, Fruit Set and Morphology of Kiwiberry (Actinidia arguta)
by Agnieszka Stasiak, Piotr Latocha and Monika Bieniasz
Agronomy 2021, 11(9), 1814; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11091814 - 9 Sep 2021
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2547
Abstract
Successful pollination and fertilization are crucial processes for obtaining a high yield, especially for dioecious plants such as A. arguta. Determination of pollen tube growth on stigma and fruit development parameters, which were investigated in this study, can enable the evaluation of [...] Read more.
Successful pollination and fertilization are crucial processes for obtaining a high yield, especially for dioecious plants such as A. arguta. Determination of pollen tube growth on stigma and fruit development parameters, which were investigated in this study, can enable the evaluation of male–female compatibility—one of the factors of successful pollination. Pollen quality and grain size were analysed for two years on six male cultivars of A. arguta and one of A. chinensis var. deliciosa. Results showed high pollen quality, both with parameters above 80%. Pollen germination in vivo showed differences in pollen–stigma interactions. The highest positive interactions were observed for all female cultivar crosses with male ‘Nostino’ and ‘Rubi’ and the lowest one for A. chinensis var. deliciosa ‘Tomuri’. However, fruit set and average fruit weight were equally high in most of the combinations (fruit set above 75% for the majority of combinations). Some differences were noticed in the average seed number per fruit and weight. All tested male cultivars were able to fertilize tested female cultivars, but taking into account other characteristics such as pollen efficiency, some male cultivars seemed to be more proper for commercial orchards. Using A. chinensis var. deliciosa pollen seems to be unreasonable in tested conditions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecological Research on Crop Pollinators)
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28 pages, 11741 KiB  
Article
Parameterization and Calibration of Wild Blueberry Machine Learning Models to Predict Fruit-Set in the Northeast China Bog Blueberry Agroecosystem
by Hongchun Qu, Rui Xiang, Efrem Yohannes Obsie, Dianwen Wei and Francis Drummond
Agronomy 2021, 11(9), 1736; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11091736 - 29 Aug 2021
Cited by 10 | Viewed by 3059
Abstract
Data deficiency prevents the development of reliable machine learning models for many agroecosystems, especially those characterized by a dearth of knowledge derived from field data. However, other similar agroecosystems with extensive data resources can be of use. We propose a new predictive modeling [...] Read more.
Data deficiency prevents the development of reliable machine learning models for many agroecosystems, especially those characterized by a dearth of knowledge derived from field data. However, other similar agroecosystems with extensive data resources can be of use. We propose a new predictive modeling approach based upon the concept of transfer learning to solve the problem of data deficiency in predicting productivity of agroecosystems, where productivity is a nonlinear function of various interacting biotic and abiotic factors. We describe the process of building metamodels (machine learning models built and trained on simulation data) from simulations built for one agroecosystem (US wild blueberry) as the source domain, where the data resource is abundant. Metamodels are evaluated and the best metamodel representing the system dynamics is selected. The best metamodel is re-parameterized and calibrated to another agroecosystem (Northeast China bog blueberry) as the target domain where field collected data are lacking. Experimental results showed that our metamodel developed for wild blueberry achieved 78% accuracy in fruit-set prediction for bog blueberry. To demonstrate its usefulness, we applied this calibrated metamodel to investigate the response of bog blueberry to various weather conditions. We found that an 8% reduction in fruit-set of bog blueberry is likely to happen if weather becomes warmer and wetter as predicted by climate models. In addition, southern and eastern production regions will suffer more severe fruit-set decline than the other growing regions. Predictions also suggest that increasing commercially available honeybee densities to 18 bees/m2/min, or bumble bee densities to 0.6 bees/m2/min, is a viable way to compensate for the predicted 8% climate induced fruit-set decline in the future. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Ecological Research on Crop Pollinators)
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