Loss of wild pollinators could substantially reduce soybean yields

Loss of wild pollinators could substantially reduce soybean yields
27.03.2014

Science for Environment Policy (2014) Issue 367

Pollination by wild insects and honey bees improves soybean yield by 18%, new research has indicated. This equates to an extra 331.6 kg of seeds per hectare, boosting the value of the global crop by �12.74 billion. Encouraging insect pollination could therefore reduce the destruction of natural ecosystems to make way for soybean cultivation, the researchers say.

Source: Milfont MO, Rocha EEM, Lima AON, Freitas BM (2013) Higher soybean production using honeybee and wild pollinators, a sustainable alternative to pesticides and autopollination. Environmental Chemistry Letters 11: 335-341 DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10311-013-0412-8

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Loss of wild pollinators could substantially reduce soybean yields

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