Weeds of melliferous importance in crops of the Northeast Argentina region

LOVATO ECHEVERRÍA, RAFAEL A.; SALGADO, CRISTINA RENEE; DÁVALOS, CLAUDIO MARCOS; ROYO SIMONELLA, LUCAS A.; LÓPEZ, MARÍA GABRIELA

Rosario

Seminario; Seminario científico franco-argentino sobre agroecología; 2022

The intensification of agriculture has led to the declination of pollinators. For this reason, it has been an increased interest in attracting pollinator populations, providing alternative non-crop resources in corridors between cropplots to obtained higherfood production. Weeds can be useful for this purpose, providing resources that attract, and maintain active pollinator populations. We analysed the relationships between weeds presencein cotton, yerba mate and flooded rice crops, and their evidence of use as a melliferousresource by social bees Apis mellifera and Tetragonisca fiebrigi in the NEA region. The frequency of species present was calculated from weed censuses. A species x crop Correspondence Analysis (CA) was carried out.Evidence of the use of floral resources (nectar and pollen) of weeds by bees was obtained by pollen analysis of honey and pollen loads in previous studies at regional scale. Among the weeds usedby bees, species groups differentiated bytype of crop habitat were identified. One group was strongly associated toflooded rice, with mainly marsh and aquatic species. Other groups were associated with weed communities ofrainfed crops (cotton and yerba mate). Melliferousfloral supply in terms of species richness was highest in yerba mate cultivation. The highest proportion of species was native flora (85%). This study shows the importance of weeds in increasing the floral resources available to pollinators, increasing crop yields and honey production.