Journal article
Floral resources provided by the new energy crop, Silphium perfoliatum L. (Asteraceae)
- Abstract:
- Flower-visiting insects are important crop pollinators, but their populations in agricultural landscapes are declining. One reason is the decreasing quantity and quality of floral resources. Deterioration of the situation caused by an increasing production of energy crops like maize, a pollen-only resource, may be mitigated by alternative crops such as Silphium perfoliatum L., which produces pollen and nectar over a long-lasting flowering period (July–September). The aim of this study was to assess the floral resources of S. perfoliatum. We calculated pollen grains and nectar sugar mass per inflorescence as well as inflorescences per plant using experimental plots and commercial fields in Germany. In addition, we analyzed free and protein-bound amino acids in pollen as well as sugars and free amino acids in nectar. The amount of pollen and nectar sugar per inflorescence decreased with increasing stem branching. The production of pollen and nectar sugar, however, was greatest in the second half of August due to the high number of inflorescences per plant at that stage. About half of the farmers harvested S. perfoliatum before the end of flowering to gain higher methane yields. With an early harvest around the beginning of September about one sixth of total pollen and one fifth of total nectar sugar production were lost to pollinators. Pollen and nectar showed high amounts of certain essential amino acids, particularly histidine, but total amino acids were low in concentration. Hence, S. perfoliatum should be complemented with different bee fodder plants to ensure a well-balanced diet.
- Publication status:
- Published
- Peer review status:
- Peer reviewed
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- Files:
-
-
(Preview, Accepted manuscript, 511.4KB, Terms of use)
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- Publisher copy:
- 10.1080/00218839.2019.1668140
Authors
- Publisher:
- Taylor and Francis
- Journal:
- Journal of Apicultural Research More from this journal
- Volume:
- 59
- Issue:
- 2
- Pages:
- 232-245
- Publication date:
- 2020-03-14
- Acceptance date:
- 2019-07-17
- DOI:
- EISSN:
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2078-6913
- ISSN:
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0021-8839
- Language:
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English
- Keywords:
- Pubs id:
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1087784
- Local pid:
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pubs:1087784
- Deposit date:
-
2020-03-02
Terms of use
- Copyright holder:
- International Bee Research Association
- Copyright date:
- 2019
- Rights statement:
- ©2019 International Bee Research Association
- Notes:
- This is the accepted manuscript version of the article. The final version is available from Taylor and Francis at: https://doi.org/10.1080/00218839.2019.1668140
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