Mango (Mangifera indica L., Anacardiaceae) cultivation has been recently spread to some areas in the Mediterranean basin, including Sicily (Italy). Mango pollinators have been widely studied in native areas and other tropical or subtropical countries, but no studies have ever been conducted in Europe. Here, we assessed the richness and abundance of floral visitors of mango cultivated in integrated and organic managements in Italy. Surveys were carried out in Sicily (2022-2023), during the flowering period with two pollinator sampling methodologies, transects and pan traps. Transects of 200 meters in length were set up, and the collections were done at two different times of the day, 9:30-11:00 and 14:30-16:00. Observation plots were implemented from the second year. Insects were also collected during the samplings from wild plants within the transect for an assessment of the diversity of this agro-ecosystem. Preliminary results show a total of 321 specimens, represented by insects belonging to Diptera (n= 23), Lepidoptera (n= 30), Coleoptera (n= 37), and Hymenoptera (n= 231) orders. Overall, 150 specimens were found in the organic and 171 in the integrated grove. About Hymenoptera, the majority belong to families Halictidae (n= 64), Andrenidae (n= 61), Colletidae (n= 53), Scoliidae (n= 18), and Apidae (n= 16, excluding honeybees). The most abundant genera were Hylaeus (Colletidae, n= 53) collected mainly from mango flowers, Panurgus (Andrenidae, n=47) collected from pan traps and wild plants, and Lasioglossum (Halictidae, n= 34) collected from mango, wild plants, and pan traps. The results of the observation plots show that solitary bees are the most abundant category in the integrated grove, while Coleoptera, followed by solitary bees, are the most abundant in the organic grove. Sampling will be carried out in the next years for further evaluation of the pollinators of mango in Italy and the diversity related to this agro-ecosystem

Preliminary investigations on floral visitors of Mango (Mangifera indica L.) in integrated and organic crops in Southern Italy

Roberto Catania
Primo
;
Marta Bonforte;Gaetana Mazzeo
Ultimo
2023-01-01

Abstract

Mango (Mangifera indica L., Anacardiaceae) cultivation has been recently spread to some areas in the Mediterranean basin, including Sicily (Italy). Mango pollinators have been widely studied in native areas and other tropical or subtropical countries, but no studies have ever been conducted in Europe. Here, we assessed the richness and abundance of floral visitors of mango cultivated in integrated and organic managements in Italy. Surveys were carried out in Sicily (2022-2023), during the flowering period with two pollinator sampling methodologies, transects and pan traps. Transects of 200 meters in length were set up, and the collections were done at two different times of the day, 9:30-11:00 and 14:30-16:00. Observation plots were implemented from the second year. Insects were also collected during the samplings from wild plants within the transect for an assessment of the diversity of this agro-ecosystem. Preliminary results show a total of 321 specimens, represented by insects belonging to Diptera (n= 23), Lepidoptera (n= 30), Coleoptera (n= 37), and Hymenoptera (n= 231) orders. Overall, 150 specimens were found in the organic and 171 in the integrated grove. About Hymenoptera, the majority belong to families Halictidae (n= 64), Andrenidae (n= 61), Colletidae (n= 53), Scoliidae (n= 18), and Apidae (n= 16, excluding honeybees). The most abundant genera were Hylaeus (Colletidae, n= 53) collected mainly from mango flowers, Panurgus (Andrenidae, n=47) collected from pan traps and wild plants, and Lasioglossum (Halictidae, n= 34) collected from mango, wild plants, and pan traps. The results of the observation plots show that solitary bees are the most abundant category in the integrated grove, while Coleoptera, followed by solitary bees, are the most abundant in the organic grove. Sampling will be carried out in the next years for further evaluation of the pollinators of mango in Italy and the diversity related to this agro-ecosystem
2023
978-65-88874-07-3
Tropical crop, Mangifera indica, pollinators, bees, diversity, Sicily
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Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11769/613089
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