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Floral visitors associated with the cultivation of Achira (Canna edulis KER) in different thermal floors in the department of Huila
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  • Arsened Vargas Guarín,
  • Juan Paulo Herrera Cerquera,
  • Guillermo Edmundo Caicedo Díaz,
  • Jordano Salamanca Bastidas
Arsened Vargas Guarín
Universidad Nacional Abierta y a Distancia

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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Juan Paulo Herrera Cerquera
Universidad Nacional Abierta y a Distancia
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Guillermo Edmundo Caicedo Díaz
Universidad Nacional Abierta y a Distancia
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Jordano Salamanca Bastidas
Universidad Nacional Abierta y a Distancia
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Abstract

The achira crop (Canna edulis) is a symbol of the ancestral productive potential of the department of Huila. According to the Regional Information System (SIR) of the Governor’s Office of Huila, the area planted with annual achira in the department in 2020 will be 82.3 hectares and the local demand for starch (400 tons/year) will be imported from other departments (Cundinamarca and Nariño). Apart from its economic potential, its importance in ecosystem services is added, since its management is organic, limited to cultural work, making this crop valuable in mitigating the effects of the decline in pollinator populations, especially wild bees, due to the problems caused by the rapid growth of coffee monoculture and other conventionally managed crops, making it crucial to better understand the relationship between biodiversity and agricultural production, and to develop sustainable management strategies that promote the conservation of pollinators and biodiversity in general. The objective was to characterize the diversity of floral visitors associated with the Achira (Canna edulis KER) crop in different thermal soils in the department of Huila, characterizing the study area, identifying native bees and visitors in the crop through field visits to three farms located in the municipalities of Garzón and San Agustín, concluding that altitudinal or thermal soil variations may affect the distribution of native bee species and other visitors, reducing their abundance. In order to determine the direct relationship between altitude and diversity, it is suggested to make new efforts in this aspect, since factors such as the management of neighboring agroecosystems and proximity to forest remnants intervene. Organic crops of high cultural value, such as (Canna edulis), represent an alternative of safe conditions to stimulate the visit of wild bees and other insects that can be considered of high economic value due to their biological importance in agroecosystems.
15 Jul 2024Submitted to Land Degradation & Development
17 Jul 2024Submission Checks Completed
17 Jul 2024Assigned to Editor
17 Jul 2024Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
17 Jul 2024Reviewer(s) Assigned