Method for promoting efficient pollination of ground bees based on circadian rhythm

Abstract

The application relates to the field of crop pollination, and particularly discloses a method for promoting efficient pollination of ground bees based on circadian rhythm, which comprises the following steps: ground bee colony preparation: a normal ground bee colony is needed, which contains a queen bee and a certain number of worker bees, liquid food a for ensuring the health of the bee colony, and normal pollen b; the beehive is placed in a culture box for circadian rhythm domestication, and the environment of the bee colony is maintained; after ten days of domestication, a special paper box for pollination is loaded, the number of worker bees in the bee colony is 60-80, the bee strength is determined according to the area of the greenhouse, and the bee colony is moved to a buffer room with a temperature of 20 DEG C for pretreatment for 2-3 days before being placed in the greenhouse for pollination; after one week, the pollination efficiency is recorded according to the bite mark rate on the flowers of tomatoes, and the feed in the box is supplemented in time during the pollination period; on the basis of the original ground bee feeding condition, the feeding time is regulated by adding certain light and temperature, so that the pollination efficiency of the ground bees is greatly improved, and the value of the ground bees for better serving the greenhouse facility agriculture pollination is improved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of crop pollination technology, and in particular to a method for promoting efficient pollination of bumblebees based on diurnal rhythms, which is suitable for large-scale pollination applications of greenhouse fruits and vegetables. Background Technology

[0002] Bumblebee pollination can significantly improve crop yield and quality, reduce the use of pesticides and hormones, lower production costs, and is environmentally friendly. Tomatoes pollinated by bumblebees have extremely high fruit set rates and very low rates of deformed fruit, resulting in significantly improved yield and quality. Furthermore, bumblebees are highly tolerant of low temperatures, low light, and distinctive odors, making them more suitable for pollinating crops in greenhouses and other facility agriculture, where their pollination efficiency can be up to 80 times that of honeybees.

[0003] Bumblebee pollination technology has been applied in many facility-grown crop areas in China, and its application scope is constantly expanding, pollinating many crops such as tomatoes, peppers, and strawberries. In some areas, the application of bumblebee pollination technology has achieved good economic benefits, with an average yield increase of 15%-40% per mu (approximately 0.16 acres) and an increase in output value of 2,000-3,000 yuan.

[0004] Besides the benefits of bumblebee pollination, bumblebees still face many unresolved problems. Currently, most bumblebee farming is conducted under red-light conditions, without considering the impact of circadian rhythms on pollination efficiency. Furthermore, bumblebee pollination often involves "clashes" between different greenhouses. During periods of continuous rain, bumblebee activity is low, leading to inefficient pollination. Additionally, current pollinating bees cannot quickly and efficiently pollinate greenhouses with short flowering periods. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to address the shortcomings of bumblebees in the current stage, such as their inability to adapt to fruit trees with short flowering periods, greenhouse crops, and poor pollination activity during rainy weather. The invention proposes a method based on circadian rhythms to promote efficient pollination by ground bumblebees. Ten days before placing the bumblebee colonies in the greenhouse, the colonies are placed in a culture box or greenhouse, given a unique photoperiod, and fed pollen one hour before the daily activity peak to acclimate them to the circadian rhythm, thereby improving bumblebee pollination efficiency and increasing agricultural production efficiency.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution:

[0007] A method for promoting efficient pollination of bumblebees based on circadian rhythms includes the following specific steps:

[0008] S1: Preparation of bumblebee colony: The pollination process requires a normal bumblebee colony, including the queen bee and a certain number of worker bees, liquid food a to ensure the health of the colony, and normal pollen b.

[0009] S2: Place the beehives in a breeding box to acclimate them to a circadian rhythm and maintain the environmental conditions for the bee colony;

[0010] S3: After acclimatization for ten days, put them into a special paper box for pollination. The number of worker bees in the colony is generally 60-80. The bee strength can be determined according to the area of ​​the greenhouse. Before putting them into the greenhouse for pollination, move them to a buffer room at about 20℃ for 2-3 days of pretreatment.

[0011] S4: Record the pollination efficiency based on the bite mark rate on the tomato flowers one week later. If there is a lack of feed in the box during the pollination period, it should be replenished in time to avoid insufficient food affecting the pollination effect.

[0012] As a further technical solution of the present invention, in S1, the liquid food a is a liquid food of sterilized white sugar and purified water in a 1:1 ratio.

[0013] As a further technical solution of the present invention, in S1, normal pollen b is a pelleted pollen feed made by adding an appropriate amount of diluted sugar water to the crushed pollen. The diluted sugar water is a liquid food made of sterilized white sugar and purified water in a 1:1 ratio.

[0014] As a further technical solution of the present invention, in S2, the environmental conditions of the breeding room are a temperature of 28-29℃ and a relative humidity of 50-60%, and a unique photoperiod is provided, and pollen is fed one hour before the daily activity peak to acclimate the diurnal rhythm.

[0015] The beneficial effects of this invention are as follows: by adjusting the lighting, temperature and feeding time of bumblebees on the basis of the original bumblebee breeding conditions, the pollination efficiency of bumblebees can be greatly improved, thus increasing the value of bumblebees in better serving the pollination of greenhouse facilities agriculture. Attached Figure Description

[0016] Figure 1 A comparison chart showing the pollination efficiency of bumblebee colonies before and after domestication.

[0017] Figure 2 This is a flowchart of a method for promoting efficient pollination of bumblebees based on circadian rhythms proposed in this invention. Detailed Implementation

[0018] To make the technical means, creative features, objectives and effects of this invention easier to understand, the invention will be further described below in conjunction with specific embodiments.

[0019] Please see the appendix Figure 2 A method for promoting efficient pollination of bumblebees based on circadian rhythms includes the following specific steps:

[0020] S1: Preparation of bumblebee colony: The pollination process requires a normal bumblebee colony, including the queen bee and a certain number of worker bees, liquid food a to ensure the health of the colony, and normal pollen b.

[0021] Liquid food a is a sterilized liquid food made of white sugar and purified water in a 1:1 ratio;

[0022] Normal pollen b is a pelleted pollen feed made by mixing crushed pollen with an appropriate amount of diluted sugar water. The diluted sugar water is a liquid food consisting of sterilized white sugar and purified water in a 1:1 ratio.

[0023] S2: Place the beehives in the incubation box to acclimate the circadian rhythm and maintain the environmental conditions of the bee colony: the environmental conditions of the feeding room are 28-29℃ and 50-60% relative humidity, provide a unique photoperiod and feed pollen one hour before the peak activity time of the day to acclimate the circadian rhythm.

[0024] S3: After acclimatization for ten days, put them into a special paper box for pollination. The number of worker bees in the bee colony is generally 60-80. The bee strength can be determined according to the area of ​​the greenhouse. Before putting them into the greenhouse for pollination, move them to a buffer room at about 20℃ for 2-3 days of pretreatment.

[0025] S4: Record the pollination efficiency based on the bite mark rate on the tomato flowers one week later. If there is a lack of feed in the box during the pollination period, it should be replenished in time to avoid insufficient food affecting the pollination effect.

[0026] Example 1

[0027] To verify that the method had been improved, the pollination efficiency of bee colonies before and after circadian rhythm domestication was compared, and it was found that the pollination efficiency was effectively improved.

[0028] As attached Figure 1 As shown: When evaluating the pollination efficiency of a bee colony, the following steps are required:

[0029] 1. Selection of bumblebee colonies;

[0030] Selection criteria: Select healthy and disease-free bumblebee colonies. The queen bee should be robust and lay eggs normally. There should be no fewer than 80 worker bees (the number can be determined according to the pollination area of ​​the greenhouse). The worker bees should be active and have no obvious deformities or injuries. Observe the colony's gregariousness. High-quality colonies should be closely clustered and move in an orderly manner when at rest.

[0031] Source of bee colonies: They can be purchased from professional bumblebee breeding bases to ensure that the bee colonies are of pure breed and have good adaptability; or they can be selected from local beekeepers, but they must undergo strict quarantine to prevent the introduction of diseases and pests.

[0032] 2. Food preparation;

[0033] Preparation of liquid food A: Select high-purity white sugar and mix it with purified water in a 1:1 ratio. Stir thoroughly until completely dissolved. Sterilize the mixed sugar water at high temperature, commonly by boiling for 10-15 minutes, to kill any bacteria, mold, or other microorganisms that may be present, ensuring the hygiene and safety of the liquid food.

[0034] Preparation of normal pollen b: Collect fresh pollen and remove impurities and foreign objects, such as small stones and insect fragments, to ensure the purity of the pollen; grind the pollen to an appropriate particle size, generally passing through an 80-100 mesh sieve, which is beneficial for worker bees to eat and digest; add sterilized white sugar and purified water in a 1:1 ratio to dilute sugar water, and knead the ground pollen and sugar water thoroughly to make a ball of pollen feed, making it uniform in texture and of moderate softness and hardness.

[0035] 3. Domestication of circadian rhythms;

[0036] Preparation of acclimatization environment: Adjust the incubator to suitable environmental conditions in advance: control the temperature at 28-29℃ and the relative humidity at 50-60%; in order to simulate the unique photoperiod, use timed LED lights, set the light duration to 12-14 hours / day, and control the light intensity at 300-500 lux, so as to approximate the activity pattern of ground bumblebees under natural light conditions.

[0037] Domestication process: One hour before the peak activity of bumblebees each day, feed the hives in the acclimatization box with pollen feed, the amount of which is about 1.5 times the daily consumption of the bee colony, to ensure sufficient food; carefully observe the activity status of the bumblebees every day, including the attendance of worker bees, feeding behavior, nest building activities, etc., and record their behavioral changes so as to adjust the domestication plan in a timely manner; the domestication lasts for 10 days. During this period, keep the environmental conditions stable and avoid frequent disturbances and changes, so that the bumblebee colony can gradually adapt to the new diurnal rhythm.

[0038] 4. Evaluation of pollination efficiency;

[0039] Evaluation subject and timing: Select tomato plants in full bloom as evaluation subjects to ensure sufficient number of flowers and even distribution; start evaluating pollination efficiency one week after bumblebees are placed in the greenhouse, at which time the bumblebees have basically adapted to the greenhouse environment and pollination activities are relatively stable.

[0040] Evaluation method: Randomly select 10-15 tomato plants, and select 5-10 representative flowers from each plant. Carefully observe and record the number of bumblebee bite marks on the flowers. Flowers with obvious bite marks indicate that they have been pollinated by bumblebees.

[0041] 5. Data analysis: Calculate the proportion of pollinated flowers to the total number of observed flowers, which is the pollination efficiency.

[0042] As attached Figure 1 As shown, the pollination efficiency of the bumblebee treatment group acclimated to circadian rhythms was significantly higher than that of the control group that was not acclimated to circadian rhythms.

[0043] As can be seen from the above description, the above embodiments of the present invention achieve the following technical effects: on the basis of the original bumblebee breeding conditions, by adding certain adjustments to the lighting, temperature and feeding time, the pollination efficiency of bumblebees can be greatly improved, thus increasing the value of bumblebees in better serving the pollination of greenhouse facilities agriculture.

[0044] Those skilled in the art should understand that the discussion of any of the above embodiments is merely exemplary and is not intended to imply that the scope of the invention is limited to these examples; within the framework of the invention, the technical features of the above embodiments or different embodiments can also be combined, the steps can be implemented in any order, and there are many other variations of the different aspects of the invention as described above, which are not provided in detail for the sake of brevity.

[0045] This invention is intended to cover all such substitutions, modifications, and variations that fall within the broad scope of this specification. Therefore, any omissions, modifications, equivalent substitutions, improvements, etc., made within the spirit and principles of this invention should be included within the scope of protection of this invention.

Claims

1. A method for promoting efficient pollination of bumblebees based on diurnal rhythms, characterized in that, The specific steps include the following: S1: Preparation of bumblebee colony: The pollination process requires a normal bumblebee colony, including the queen bee and a certain number of worker bees, liquid food a to ensure the health of the colony, and normal pollen b. S2: Place the beehives in a breeding box to acclimate them to a circadian rhythm and maintain the environmental conditions for the bee colony; S3: After acclimatization for ten days, put them into a special paper box for pollination. The number of worker bees in the colony should be 60-80. The bee strength should be determined according to the area of ​​the greenhouse. Before putting them into the greenhouse for pollination, move them to a buffer room at 20℃ for 2-3 days for pretreatment. S4: Record the pollination efficiency based on the bite mark rate on the tomato flowers one week later. If there is a lack of feed in the box during the pollination period, it should be replenished in time. In S1, liquid food a is a liquid food made of sterilized white sugar and purified water in a 1:1 ratio; In S1, normal pollen b is a pelleted pollen feed made by kneading pollen powder with an appropriate amount of diluted sugar water. The diluted sugar water is a liquid food consisting of sterilized white sugar and purified water in a 1:1 ratio. In S2, the environmental conditions in the breeding room are a temperature of 28-29℃ and a relative humidity of 50-60%. A unique photoperiod is provided, and pollen is fed one hour before the peak of daily activity to acclimate the diurnal rhythm. The domestication of circadian rhythms includes the preparation of the domestication environment: the incubator should be adjusted to suitable environmental conditions in advance, with the temperature controlled at 28-29℃ and the relative humidity maintained at 50-60%; in order to simulate the unique photoperiod, timed LED lights can be used, with the light duration set to 12-14 hours / day and the light intensity controlled at 300-500 lux, so as to approximate the activity patterns of ground bumblebees under natural light conditions.

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