ISHS Acta Horticulturae 288: VI International Symposium on Pollination
REPRODUCTION OF MEGACHILE ROTUNDATA FAB. FORAGING ON TRIFOLIUM SPP. AND BRASSICA CAMPESTRIS |
| Authors: | D.T. Fairey, L.P. Lefkovitch |
| Abstract:
The leafcutting bee, Megachile rotundata Fab., is the recommended pollinator for Medicago spp. in the Peace River region (lat. 50° to 60°N) of northwest Canada. Observations on forage legumes in small plots over a 21-year period, and on Brassica campestris in the greenhouse, indicated that this insect could be managed as an effective pollinator of other crops. The present study compares reproduction and quality of cells produced when bees forage on Trifolium hybridum, (alsike clover) T. pratense (red clover) and B. campestris (canola) with that on Medicago (alfalfa). There was a net gain on all crops and bee increase across years and locations varied from 2.6, 2.5, 2.3 and 2.2 for alfalfa, alsike clover, red clover and canola, respectively. For each crop, over 90% of the cells produced were viable and about 30% of these were female. | |
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