Floral visitors associated with the cultivation of Achira (Canna edulis
KER) in different thermal floors in the department of Huila
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.