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Stingless Bees as Potential Pollinators in Agroecosystems in Argentina: Inferences from Pot-Pollen Studies in Natural Environments

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Pot-Pollen in Stingless Bee Melittology

Abstract

Stingless bees have proven to be effective pollinators of many crops both in open-field and greenhouse conditions around the world. However, because their sensibility of both individuals and colonies to low temperatures, the subtropical and part of the temperate area of Argentina present favorable climate conditions for open-field pollination. A total of 65 crops that require or benefit from animal pollination (highly autogamous and allogamous, with entomophilous pollination) were found suitable for meliponine pollination in Argentina, but this should be corroborated by means of field studies. Spatial and temporal availability of flowers from crops and wild vegetation was also described. Recommendations of best practice management of beneficial vegetation for the maintenance of permanent stingless bee colonies are given. A case study on strawberry crops in the temperate area of Argentina was also analyzed. A high diversity of native meliponine species from many genera in northern Argentina is suitable for numerous trials on a large number of crops.

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Acknowledgments

We are especially thankful to Patricia Vit for her kind invitation to participate in this book and David Roubik and Nora Brea for their help in English language, suggestions, and comments on the manuscript. This study was supported by CONICET (Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratorio de Actuopalinología, CICyTTP-CONICET / FCyT-UADER, Dr. Materi y España, E3105BWA, Diamante, Entre Ríos, Argentina

    Favio Gerardo Vossler, Diego César Blettler & Guillermina Andrea Fagúndez

  2. Entomología, Facultad de Humanidades y Ciencias, Universidad Nacional del Litoral, CONICET, Paraje El Pozo s/n, 3000, Santa Fe, Argentina

    Milagros Dalmazzo

Authors
  1. Favio Gerardo Vossler
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  2. Diego César Blettler
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  3. Guillermina Andrea Fagúndez
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  4. Milagros Dalmazzo
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Favio Gerardo Vossler .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Food Science Department, Faculty of Pharmacy and Bioanalysis, Universidad de Los Andes, Merida, Venezuela

    Patricia Vit

  2. Biology Department, School of Philosophy, Sciences and Literature, Universidade de São Paulo, Ribeirao Preto, Brazil

    Silvia R.M. Pedro

  3. Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Balboa, Panama

    David W. Roubik

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Vossler, F.G., Blettler, D.C., Fagúndez, G.A., Dalmazzo, M. (2018). Stingless Bees as Potential Pollinators in Agroecosystems in Argentina: Inferences from Pot-Pollen Studies in Natural Environments. In: Vit, P., Pedro, S., Roubik, D. (eds) Pot-Pollen in Stingless Bee Melittology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-61839-5_12

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