Skip to main content
Entomology 2021 Main banner
Icon Legend
This session is not in your schedule.
This session is in your schedule. Click again to remove it.
Presentation Icons
In-Person
In-Person
Livestream
Livestream
On-Demand
On-Demand
Student Competition
Student Competition
Video Chat
Video Chat
Ticketed Event
Ticketed Event
Poster Icons
Student Competition
Student Competition
In-Person
In-Person
Poster
Poster
On-Demand
On-Demand
Back
Q&A ViewAttendees 7

Plant-Insect Ecosystems

Student Competition 10-Minute Paper

Grad P-IE: Ecology 3

Evaluation of sweet alyssum on pollinator diversity and abundance in organic strawberry production

Monday, November 1, 2021
11:18 AM – 11:30 AM MT
Location: Colorado Convention Center, Meeting Room 210-212
In-Person Student Competition

    Presenting Author(s)

  • KH

    Keiran R. Hyte

    Master's Student
    University of Florida
    Gainesville, Florida

    • Co-Author(s)

  • Oscar E. Liburd

    Professor of Agricultural Entomology
    University of Florida
    Gainesville, Florida

  • Rachel E. Mallinger

    Assistant Professor
    University of Florida
    Gainesville, Florida

Strawberries are one of many produce crops where insect pollination is a necessity to achieve adequate yield. Sweet alyssum plants have the potential to act as an augment to strawberry production by attracting pollinators to the field. This study sought to evaluate the efficacy of sweet alyssum in improving local pollinator diversity and abundance. Plots of strawberries grown alongside sweet alyssum were compared to those grown without sweet alyssum. Pollinator visitation and diversity were evaluated by in situ surveys, and a pollinator isolation experiment was also performed to evaluate the effect on strawberry yield. Results will inform further studies and provide insight into future strategies for the usage of sweet alyssum as a companion plant for strawberries.