Agronomic traits in oilseed rape (Brassica napus) can predict foraging resources for insect pollinators

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Fairhurst, SM ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9054-9376, Cole, LJ, Kocarkova, T, Jones-Morris, C, Evans, A and Jackson, G, 2021. Agronomic traits in oilseed rape (Brassica napus) can predict foraging resources for insect pollinators. Agronomy, 11 (3): 440. ISSN 2073-4395

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Official URL: https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11030440

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.

Item Type:	Journal article
Publication Title:	Agronomy
Creators:	Fairhurst, S.M., Cole, L.J., Kocarkova, T., Jones-Morris, C., Evans, A. and Jackson, G.
Publisher:	MDPI
Date:	27 February 2021
Volume:	11
Number:	3
ISSN:	2073-4395
Identifiers:	Number Type 10.3390/agronomy11030440 DOI 1806000 Other
Divisions:	Schools > School of Animal, Rural and Environmental Sciences
Record created by:	Jonathan Gallacher
Date Added:	18 Sep 2023 16:01
Last Modified:	18 Sep 2023 16:01
URI:	https://irep.ntu.ac.uk/id/eprint/49733