Optimizing sunflower yield: Understanding pollinator contribution to inform agri-environmental strategies

作者：Lucie Mota, João Loureiro, José A. González, Violeta Hevia, Jorge J. Ortega‐Marcos, Carlos Rad, Evan A.N. Marks, Sílvia Castro · 发表于：Field Crops Research · 年份：2024 · DOI：10.1016/j.fcr.2024.109651 · 被引用次数：10 · 研究领域：Plant and animal studies、Plant Parasitism and Resistance、Soybean genetics and cultivation

The agricultural intensification due to global increased food demand has harmed pollinator communities worldwide. However, some of the economically most important oilseed crops, such as the sunflower, depend on pollinators to produce seeds. While self-fertile varieties have undergone genetic selection to guarantee productivity, the pollinator-dependence levels and the economic contribution of pollinators have not been fully estimated. Here, we aimed to explore floral and pollinator constraints limiting the agricultural yield of sunflower varieties most frequently used in the Iberian Peninsula. Pollination experiments were undertaken to analyse the pollinator-dependence level of 12 varieties under controlled conditions and also under natural conditions in 23 fields of two Spanish agricultural regions. The selfing ability and economic contribution of pollinators were estimated by comparing bagged and open-pollination treatments. Our results showed that the degree of pollinator-dependence is highly dependent on sunflower variety, with impacts on production and productivity outcomes, e.g. individual plant yield values varied between 0.188 and 0.692. Several varieties could self-fertilize and produce seeds regardless of pollinators. However, outcrossing significantly increased seed set in most varieties with increments up to 0.341. Overall, a trade-off between the number and weight of seeds was observed. Under natural field conditions, pollinators significantly increased overall s...