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Statistical modeling of insect behavioral response to changes in weather conditions in Brassica napus L.

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Abstract

Understanding specific meteorological factors that affect the foraging activity of pollinator insects can provide valuable information to ensure appropriate levels of pollination of crops. This research was carried out to verify the spectrum of pollinating insects and their foraging behavior in relation to specific meteorological variables in the Brassica napus (rapeseed) crop. Data collected consisted of the following observations: number of visits by each pollinator, floral resources collected by Africanized honeybee Apis mellifera L., number of flowers visited by Africanized honeybees in 1 min, number of flowers visited by Africanized honeybees in one specific plant during the timed observation of 1 min, and the time taken by the honeybees to visit each flower. In this study the analyses were made through different generalized linear models. The Africanized honeybees were the most abundant pollinating insects (88%) and most visitors were observed collecting nectar (90%). The Africanized honeybees visited a total of 12.9 ± 1.40 flowers in 1 min and 2.96 ± 1.09 flowers of a single plant in 1 min. The time the honeybees spent on the rapeseed flowers was 4.2 ± 1.6 s. The number of floral visitors correlated closely to the variation of abiotic factors, especially temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, and solar radiation. Africanized honeybees were more active at different times of the day as compared to the other floral visitors and they foraged more intensely on the Hyola 433 hybrid than on the Hyola 61 hybrid. The Hyola 61 hybrid was more attractive to Diabrotica speciosa and Lepidoptera.

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Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge the Graduate Program in Sustainable Rural Development at the State University of Western Parana (Universidade Estadual do Oeste do Paraná), the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior—CAPES and CNPq (National Council for Scientific and Technological Development), process number 311663/2014-1 for the financial support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Graduate Program in Agricultural Sciences, Universidade Federal do Recôncavo da Bahia, Rua Rui Barbosa 710, Cruz das Almas, BA, CEP 443800-000, Brazil

    Emerson Dechechi Chambó

  2. Center for Agricultural Sciences, Universidade Estadual do Oeste do Paraná, Rua Pernambuco 1777, Marechal Cândido Rondon, PR, CEP 85960-000, Brazil

    Newton Tavares Escocard de Oliveira & Regina Conceição Garcia

  3. Biotechnology, Genetics and Cell Biology Department, Universidade Estadual de Maringá, Avenida Colombo 5790, Bloco H67, Maringá, PR, CEP 87020-900, Brazil

    Maria Claudia Colla Ruvolo-Takasusuki

  4. Animal Science Department, Universidade Estadual de Maringá, Avenida Colombo 5790, Bloco J45, Maringá, PR, CEP 87020-900, Brazil

    Vagner Alencar Arnaut de Toledo

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  1. Emerson Dechechi Chambó
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  2. Newton Tavares Escocard de Oliveira
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  3. Regina Conceição Garcia
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  4. Maria Claudia Colla Ruvolo-Takasusuki
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  5. Vagner Alencar Arnaut de Toledo
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Correspondence to Vagner Alencar Arnaut de Toledo.

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Chambó, E.D., de Oliveira, N.T.E., Garcia, R.C. et al. Statistical modeling of insect behavioral response to changes in weather conditions in Brassica napus L.. Arthropod-Plant Interactions 11, 613–621 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11829-017-9506-8

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