A mechanistic model of pollinator-mediated gene flow in agricultural safflower

摘要: Abstract In many species of crop plant, gene flow by cross-pollination is possible between spatially separate fields. To preserve a crop's varietal purity or to restrict ingress into conventional varieties genetically modified (GM) genes, quantitative understanding useful. Previous measurements in safflower ( Carthamus tinctorius L.), with GM varieties, were made plots less than 1 ha. Here, I evaluate mathematical model field-to-field due insect pollination using parameter values appropriate large agricultural field safflower. The was solved based on laboratory experiments and observations (40 ha) Lethbridge, Canada that pollinated honey bees Apis mellifera ) bumble Bombus spp.). estimated the maximum feasible level bee-mediated, range 0.05% 0.005% seed set (95% upper confidence intervals 0.23% 0.023%), depending composition bee fauna. These relatively low emerged for two reasons: has high capacity automatic self-fertilization; undertook long foraging bouts field, which between-field pollinations rare. A strategy minimizing should utilize variety self-fertilization allow plants grow stands encourage bees.