Soybeans are a crucial part of North Dakota, as are pollinating insects such as the honey bee. However, because soybeans do not require a pollinator visit, we often do not associate soybeans and pollinators with each other. Recent research suggests this might be a missed opportunity for both soybeans and pollinators as pollinator management can increase soybean productivity while flowering soybeans can benefit pollinators. Yet research is needed to evaluate how this relates to North Dakota specific soybeans and their growers.
Soybean flowers can be very attractive to pollinators, and the nectar and pollen produced can be a resource to many different pollinators. However, what pollinator species visit ND soybeans has not been researched. Moreover, soybeans only flower for a discrete time, which may produce a valuable flush of rewards to pollinators that can take advantage of it. Yet, little work has quantified those soybean floral rewards in North Dakota, how they vary, and how pollinators could take advantage of them.
In the first two years of our study (ongoing), we surveyed bees in and around soybean fields using multiple methods. We are identifying and processing those bees to find ones with soybean pollen, which indicates those using rewards from soybean flower. We are also continuing a greenhouse study to capture pollen and nectar from greenhouse grown soybean plants under different conditions. This proposal would extend both of those objectives for a final year to better understand the relationship between pollinators and North Dakota soybeans.