A5058335764- Plant and animal studies
- Plant Parasitism and Resistance
- Insect and Pesticide Research
- Insect and Arachnid Ecology and Behavior
- Plant Reproductive Biology
- Hibiscus Plant Research Studies
- Agricultural pest management studies
- Plant tissue culture and regeneration
- Botanical Research and Chemistry
- Insect-Plant Interactions and Control
- Species Distribution and Climate Change
York University
2023-2024
Toronto Metropolitan University
2020-2024
University of Toronto
2024
Highbush blueberry pollination depends on managed honey bees (Apis mellifera) L. for adequate fruit sets; however, beekeepers have raised concerns about the poor health of colonies after pollinating this crop. Postulated causes include agrochemical exposure, nutritional deficits, and interactions with parasites pathogens, particularly Melisococcus plutonius [(ex. White) Bailey Collins, Lactobacillales: Enterococcaceae], causal agent European foulbrood disease, but other pathogens could be...
The mutualistic interaction between entomophilous plants and pollinators is fundamental to the structure of most terrestrial ecosystems. sensitive nature this relationship has been disrupted by anthropogenic modifications natural landscapes, warranting development new methods for exploring trophic interaction. Characterizing composition pollen collected pollinators, e.g. Apis mellifera, a common means relationship, but traditional microscopic assessment are laborious limited in their scope....
Abstract Honey bees are efficient pollinators of flowering plants, aiding in the plant reproductive cycle and acting as vehicles for evolutionary processes. Their role agents selection drivers gene flow is instrumental to structure populations, but historically, our understanding their influence has been limited predominantly insect‐dispersed species. Recent metagenetic work provided evidence that honey also forage on pollen from anemophilous species, suggesting vectors transmission genetic...
Pollen grains are male gametophytes, an ephemeral haploid generation of plants, that commonly engage in competition for a limited supply ovules. Since variation reproductive capabilities among gametophytes may influence the direction and pace evolution populations, we must be able to quantify relative fitness from different sires. To explore this, estimated groups dioecious, wind-pollinated model system, Cannabis sativa , by characterizing non-abortion rate (measured via chemical staining)...
Premise Precise pollen collection methods are necessary for crop breeding, but anemophilous is notoriously difficult to capture and control. Here we compared a variety of the controlled cannabis pollen, intended ease process cross‐fertilization breeding this wind‐pollinated plant, measured utility light spectroscopy quantifying relative yield. Methods Results In two independent trials, control method (hand collection) either vacuum‐, water‐, or bag‐collection methods. We used visible...
Abstract Some economically important crop species are dioecious, producing pollen and ovules on distinct, unisexual, individuals. On-the-spot diagnosis of sex is to breeders farmers for improvement maximizing yield, yet diagnostic tools at the seedling stage understudied lack a scientific basis. Understanding sexual dimorphism in juvenile plants may provide key ecological, evolutionary economic insights into dioecious plant addition improving process cultivation. To address this gap...
Recent declines in the health of honey bee colonies used for crop pollination pose a considerable threat to global food security. Foraging by workers represents primary route exposure plethora toxins and pathogens known affect health, but it remains unclear how foraging preferences impact colony-level patterns stressor exposure. Resolving this knowledge gap is crucial enhancing bees agricultural systems that rely on them pollination. To address this, we carried out national-scale experiment...
Abstract Pollination by the European honey bee, Apis mellifera, is essential for production of many crops, including highbush blueberries (Vaccinum corymbosum). To understand impact agrochemicals (specifically, neonicotinoids, a class synthetic, neurotoxic insecticides) on these pollinators, we conducted field study during blueberry blooms 2020 and 2021 in British Columbia (B.C.). Forty experimental bee colonies were placed Fraser Valley: half located within 1.5 km fields (“near” colonies)...
<p><strong>Premise</strong></p> <p>Precise pollen collection methods are necessary for crop breeding, but anemophilous is notoriously difficult to capture and control. Here we compared a variety of the controlled cannabis pollen, intended ease process cross‐fertilization breeding this wind‐pollinated plant, measured utility light spectroscopy quantifying relative yield.</p> <p><strong>Methods Results</strong></p> <p>In two...
Pollen grains are male gametophytes, haploid intergeneration organisms, that function as vectors for gamete dispersal. compete to fertilize ovules, potentially influencing differential reproductive success - a key condition microevolution. Variation in the abundance and fertility of pollen produced by plants sets stage intense competition among pollen-derived sperm cells often limited supply ovules. To explore this, I developed methodological framework collecting pollen, quantifying its...
Pollen grains are male gametophytes, haploid intergeneration organisms, that function as vectors for gamete dispersal. compete to fertilize ovules, potentially influencing differential reproductive success - a key condition microevolution. Variation in the abundance and fertility of pollen produced by plants sets stage intense competition among pollen-derived sperm cells often limited supply ovules. To explore this, I developed methodological framework collecting pollen, quantifying its...
ABSTRACT Global climate change is producing novel biospheric conditions, presenting a threat to the stability of ecological systems and health organisms that reside within them. Variation in climatic conditions expected facilitate phenological reshuffling plant communities, impacting plant-pollinator interface, release allergenic pollen into atmosphere. Impacts on plant, invertebrate, human remain unclear largely due variable nature insufficient monitoring these trends. Large-scale temporal...
Abstract Recent declines in the health of honey bee colonies used for crop pollination pose a considerable threat to global food security. Foraging by workers represents primary route exposure plethora toxins and pathogens known affect health, but it remains unclear how foraging preferences impact colony-level patterns stressor exposure. Resolving this knowledge gap is crucial enhancing bees agricultural systems that rely on them pollination. To address this, we carried out national-scale...
Abstract Pollen grains are male gametophytes, an ephemeral haploid generation of plants, commonly engaging in competition for a limited supply ovules. Since differential fertility may influence the direction and pace population evolution, relative fitness pollen is regularly estimated as either viability, proportion containing intact cytoplasm’s regenerative nuclei, or fertility, frequency germinating under standardized conditions. Here, we dioecious, wind-pollinated model system, Cannabis...
<p><strong>Premise</strong></p> <p>Precise pollen collection methods are necessary for crop breeding, but anemophilous is notoriously difficult to capture and control. Here we compared a variety of the controlled cannabis pollen, intended ease process cross‐fertilization breeding this wind‐pollinated plant, measured utility light spectroscopy quantifying relative yield.</p> <p><strong>Methods Results</strong></p> <p>In two...
Cannabis sativa L. is cultivated globally for its cannabinoid-dense inflorescences. Commercial preference sinsemilla has led to the development of methods producing feminized seeds through cross-pollination cosexual (masculinized) female plants. Although induction cosexuality in plants common, date, no work empirically tested how masculinization impacts male flowering, pollen production, fitness, and related life-history trade-offs. Here, we a population (CFX-2) explored route (drought vs....