Effect of different herbicide protection systems on honey bee activity and seed oil content in sunflower

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.33730/2310-4678.3.2025.342537

Keywords:

Helianthus annuus L., Apis mellifera L., herbicides, pollination, visits/head/10 min, oil content, drought

Abstract

The study investigated the effect of soil-applied and post-emergence herbicide technologies in sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) cultivation on the activity of honey bees (Apis mellifera L.) and seed oil content. Field experiments were conducted in 2022–2024 at the experimental field of the State Institution “Institute of Grain Crops” of NAAS (Dnipropetrovsk region, Ukraine) using three hybrids – Biloba CLP, NK Neoma, and Suvex. Treatments included hand weeding (control), soil-applied herbicides (Primextra TZ Gold (4.5 L/ha) + Yastrub 2.0 (L/ha); Eclipse (2.0 L/ha) + Fielder (2.0 L/ha)), and post-emergence herbicides (Helianthex (45 g/ha), Stels (0.35 L/ha), Challenge (0.4 L/ha), Pulsar Flex (1.6 L/ha)). Bee activity was recorded by video monitoring (24 GoPro cameras) during peak flowering; oil content was determined after plot threshing. The control ensured the highest attractiveness to bees (6.11 visits/head/10 min). Soil-applied herbicides reduced visitation by 29–56% on average, while post-emergence treatments caused greater decreases (33–86%). The smallest reduction (–29%) was observed under Primextra TZ Gold + Yastrub, and the greatest (–82%) under Helianthex. In the dry 2024 season, bee activity fell to 1.28 visits/head/10 min. Regarding oil content, the control provided 52.24%. Soil-applied herbicides caused only a minor decrease (by 1.16–2.31%), the least under Primextra TZ Gold + Yastrub (–1.16%), and the greatest under Eclipse + Fielder (–2.31%). Among post-emergence herbicides, Helianthex reduced oil content by 5.0%, Stels by 2.6%, whereas Challenge increased the oil content of the Suvex hybrid by 2.26% compared with the control. The NK Neoma hybrid exhibited the highest stability of both bee activity and seed oil content across years. It is concluded that soil-applied herbicide programs are more compatible with pollinator activity, while extensive use of post-emergence herbicides – particularly Helianthex – should be avoided in dry years. The results highlight the importance of balancing effective weed control with ecological safety and maintaining pollinator-friendly conditions to preserve high oil content in sunflower seed.

References

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Published

2025-08-22

Issue

No. 3 (2025)

Section

Articles

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