Effects of heat and drought on canola-pollinator interactions and crop yield

The Challenge

Current climate change models predict that extreme weather events, such as drought and extreme heat, will increase in frequency, duration, and severity. There is currently little knowledge on the effects of heat and drought on pollinated plant yield and plant-pollinator interactions.

The Project

Examine the yield of canola crops exposed to heat and/or drought stress with and without pollinators at different growth stages to determine the potential for supplemental pollinators to aid the crop through these stressors.

The Results

This section will be updated upon completion of the project.

Grower Benefits

Results of this project can potentially enable farmers that anticipate heat and/or drought stress to make informed decisions on providing supplemental pollinators and/or planting varieties that are tolerant to such stresses. This can aid farmers in achieving greater yield in stress events.