Pollination biology studies of the endangered herbal medicines Dendrobium chrysotoxum were conducted in natural pollination conditions using flower observation,pollinator observation and artificial pollination experim...Pollination biology studies of the endangered herbal medicines Dendrobium chrysotoxum were conducted in natural pollination conditions using flower observation,pollinator observation and artificial pollination experiments.Populations of D.chrysotoxum with fragrance and nectar were pollinated by Ctenoplectra davidi Valhalla(Hymenoptera:Apidae)species.The floral structure of D.chrysotoxum adapted precisely to its pollinators.Flowers had a low capsule setting(0.17%)under natural conditions.However,compared to open pollination,artificial pollination experiments showed a significant increase in capsule setting,and D.chrysotoxum was cross-compatible and self-compatible,but there was pollinator limitation also.This study will provide important information for the preservation of this endangered species.展开更多
Internet Protocol version 6(IPv6)is the latest version of IP that goal to host 3.4×10^(38)unique IP addresses of devices in the network.IPv6 has introduced new features like Neighbour Discovery Protocol(NDP)and A...Internet Protocol version 6(IPv6)is the latest version of IP that goal to host 3.4×10^(38)unique IP addresses of devices in the network.IPv6 has introduced new features like Neighbour Discovery Protocol(NDP)and Address Auto-configuration Scheme.IPv6 needed several protocols like the Address Auto-configuration Scheme and Internet Control Message Protocol(ICMPv6).IPv6 is vulnerable to numerous attacks like Denial of Service(DoS)and Distributed Denial of Service(DDoS)which is one of the most dangerous attacks executed through ICMPv6 messages that impose security and financial implications.Therefore,an Intrusion Detection System(IDS)is a monitoring system of the security of a network that detects suspicious activities and deals with amassive amount of data comprised of repetitive and inappropriate features which affect the detection rate.A feature selection(FS)technique helps to reduce the computation time and complexity by selecting the optimum subset of features.This paper proposes a method for detecting DDoS flooding attacks(FA)based on ICMPv6 messages using a Binary Flower PollinationAlgorithm(BFPA-FA).The proposed method(BFPA-FA)employs FS technology with a support vector machine(SVM)to identify the most relevant,influential features.Moreover,The ICMPv6-DDoS dataset was used to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method through different attack scenarios.The results show that the proposed method BFPAFA achieved the best accuracy rate(97.96%)for the ICMPv6 DDoS detection with a reduced number of features(9)to half the total(19)features.The proven proposed method BFPA-FAis effective in the ICMPv6 DDoS attacks via IDS.展开更多
Several research studies have proven that eliciting and predicting the impact of human activity on ecosystem services will be crucial to support stakeholders’ awareness and to decide how to interact with the environm...Several research studies have proven that eliciting and predicting the impact of human activity on ecosystem services will be crucial to support stakeholders’ awareness and to decide how to interact with the environment in a more sustainable manner. In this sense, the ecosystems known as road verges are particularly important because of their length and surface at an international scale, and their role in mitigating the damage done by roads. Plant pollination by insects is one of the most important ecosystem services. Because of its nature and the fact that they extend across a variety of landscapes, roadside can contribute to the maintenance of healthy ecosystems, under the condition of adapted management practices. This research is the first attempt to develop a System Dynamics-based aiming to estimate the ecological and economic impact of maintenance on the road verge pollination service in France. Maintenance strategies of road verges are simulated to compare their performance. The results show that there are ways to improve current maintenance strategies in terms of pollination value, but also that the model needs to consider other ecosystem services and synergistic effects that could further affect pollination to obtain more accurate estimations.展开更多
[Objectives]To improve the yield and quality of different pear varieties by supplementary pollination.[Methods]The effects of bee pollination were compared with other pollination methods,and the effects of different f...[Objectives]To improve the yield and quality of different pear varieties by supplementary pollination.[Methods]The effects of bee pollination were compared with other pollination methods,and the effects of different factors on honeybee pollination were studied through experiments.[Results]Honeybee pollination significantly increased the number of fruit per inflorescence.In addition,it could improve the single fruit weight,fruit shape and other quality indicators of fruit.The pollination effect of honeybee was the best in all supplementary pollination measures.Honeybee pollination had good fruit setting effect on different pear varieties,but there were some differences in the effect of quality improvement.Spraying lime sulfur mixture and other measures could significantly affect the effects of honeybee pollination.[Conclusions]The research results prove the effectiveness of honeybee pollination technology in Hebei Province,and provide a certain reference for the establishment of a simple and practical artificial assisted pollination technology system.展开更多
Shea tree is a major economic plant contributing to household income through the sale of edible fruits, kernels and shea butter. Shea butter is used industrially in the production of cosmetic products, chocolates and ...Shea tree is a major economic plant contributing to household income through the sale of edible fruits, kernels and shea butter. Shea butter is used industrially in the production of cosmetic products, chocolates and margarines. Fruits are used by human and also by birds. This study aimed to explore strategies for the improvement of shea yield through pollination. Two types of pollination (manual and natural pollination) were applied for the comparison of fruits set and their ripening. The fruits set and ripening index as well as average weight of ripe fruits and kernels were estimated. The results showed a significant difference between the fruits set Index of manual pollination and natural pollination (H(1) = 33.437, p = 7.361 × 10<sup>-9</sup>). Similarly, there was a significant difference between the ripening Index of manual pollination and natural pollination (H(1) = 4.5113, p = 0.03367). However, the mode of pollination did not influence the weight of ripe fruits and kernels. Therefore, the manual pollination enhances pollen supply to receptive stigmas for fertilization and improved fruit yield in Vitellaria paradoxa.展开更多
Photovoltaic(PV)systems utilize maximum power point tracking(MPPT)controllers to optimize power output amidst varying environmental conditions.However,the presence of multiple peaks resulting from partial shading pose...Photovoltaic(PV)systems utilize maximum power point tracking(MPPT)controllers to optimize power output amidst varying environmental conditions.However,the presence of multiple peaks resulting from partial shading poses a challenge to the tracking operation.Under partial shade conditions,the global maximum power point(GMPP)may be missed by most traditional maximum power point tracker.The flower pollination algorithm(FPA)and particle swarm optimization(PSO)are two examples of metaheuristic techniques that can be used to solve the issue of failing to track the GMPP.This paper discusses and resolves all issues associated with using the standard FPA method as the MPPT for PV systems.The first issue is that the initial values of pollen are determined randomly at first,which can lead to premature convergence.To minimize the convergence time and enhance the possibility of detecting the GMPP,the initial pollen values were modified so that they were near the expected peak positions.Secondly,in the modified FPA,population fitness and switch probability values both influence swapping between two-mode optimization,which may improve the flower pollination algorithm’s tracking speed.The performance of the modified flower pollination algorithm(MFPA)is assessed through a comparison with the perturb and observe(P&O)method and the standard FPA method.The simulation results reveal that under different partial shading conditions,the tracking time for MFPA is 0.24,0.24,0.22,and 0.23 s,while for FPA,it is 0.4,0.35,0.45,and 0.37 s.Additionally,the simulation results demonstrate that MFPA achieves higher MPPT efficiency in the same four partial shading conditions,with values of 99.98%,99.90%,99.93%,and 99.26%,compared to FPA with MPPT efficiencies of 99.93%,99.88%,99.91%,and 99.18%.Based on the findings from simulations,the proposed method effectively and accurately tracks the GMPP across a diverse set of environmental conditions.展开更多
Manglietia ventii is a highly endangered plant species endemic to Yunnan province in China, where there are only five known small populations. Despite abundant flowering there is very low fruit and seed set,and very f...Manglietia ventii is a highly endangered plant species endemic to Yunnan province in China, where there are only five known small populations. Despite abundant flowering there is very low fruit and seed set,and very few seedlings in natural populations, indicating problems with reproduction. The causes of low fecundity in M. ventii are not known, largely because of insufficient knowledge of the species pollination ecology and breeding system. We conducted observations and pollination experiments, and analyzed floral scents to understand the pollinatoreplant interactions and the role of floral scent in this relationship, as well as the species breeding system. Like the majority of Magnoliaceae, M. ventii has protogynous and nocturnal flowers that emit a strong fragrance over two consecutive evenings. There is a closing period(the pre-staminate stage) during the process of anthesis of a flower, and we characterize the key flowering process as an "open-close-reopen" flowering rhythm with five distinct floral stages observed throughout the floral period of this species: pre-pistillate, pistillate, pre-staminate, staminate,and post-staminate. Flowers are in the pistillate stage during the first night of anthesis and enter the staminate stage the next night. During anthesis, floral scent emission occurs in the pistillate and staminate stages. The effective pollinators were weevils(Sitophilus sp.) and beetles(Anomala sp.), while the role of Rove beetles(Aleochara sp.) and thrips(Thrips sp.) in pollination of M. ventii appears to be minor or absent. The major chemical compounds of the floral scents were Limonene, b-Pinene, a-Pinene, 1,8-Cineole, Methyl-2-methylbutyrate, p-Cymene, Methyl-3-methyl-2-butenoate and 2-Methoxy-2-methyl-3-buten, and the relative proportions of these compounds varied between the pistillate and staminate stages. Production of these chemicals coincided with flower visitation by weevils and beetles.The results of pollination experiments suggest that M. ventii is pollinator-dependent, and low seed set in natural populations is a result of insufficient pollen deposition. Thus, conservation of the species should focus on improving pollination service through the introduction of genetically variable individuals and increase in density of reproducing trees.展开更多
Pollination and seed dispersal in angiosperms have long been investigated in order to understand the coevolution of plants and animals.However,the signals from flowers and/or seeds to attract pollinators and/or seed d...Pollination and seed dispersal in angiosperms have long been investigated in order to understand the coevolution of plants and animals.However,the signals from flowers and/or seeds to attract pollinators and/or seed dispersers have received comparatively little attention.In this study,the pollination biology and seed dispersal of the vulnerable agarwood plant Aquilaria sinensis(Lour.) Gilg,a traditional medicinal plant in China,was studied in its natural distribution range.The reproductive tactics of A.sinensis were studied in detail by employing various tests dealing with fruit set and also seed dispersal.Dynamic headspace extraction followed by GC-MS analysis was also performed in order to reveal the composition of floral scent.The results showed that noctuids and pyralids are the most effective pollinators of pollinator-dependent A.sinensis.The main compounds of the floral scent were(E,E)-α-Farnesene(61.9 ± 3.2%),trans-Ocimene(16.6 ± 1.2%),and Benzyl salicylate(4.6 ± 1.1%).The results obtained from seed dispersal experiments indicate that hornets are effective seed dispersers and they may play an important role in long-distance seed dispersal of A.sinensis.Based on our findings,we recommend several protection methods for this threatened agarwood plant in China.展开更多
Based on the daily average temperature from March 19 to April 2,2021 at three surface meteorological stations in western Guizhou and the daily average temperature,maximum temperature and minimum temperature from March...Based on the daily average temperature from March 19 to April 2,2021 at three surface meteorological stations in western Guizhou and the daily average temperature,maximum temperature and minimum temperature from March 19 to April 2,2021 at 12 main automatic meteorological stations of red cartridge kiwifruit base,the effects of low temperature and high temperature on flowering and pollination of red cartridge kiwifruit in early spring of 2021 were analyzed.The results showed that slight cold spell in later spring in western Guizhou occurred from March 21 to 23.The lower limit of the daily average temperature required for flowering period(12℃or below)appeared in each base of red cartridge kiwifruit during March 21-23,which affected the red cartridge kiwifruit trees in Faer,Houchang,Miluo,Shunchang,Panlong and Jichang bases flowering and pollinating before March 20.From March 29 to April 2,the daily maximum temperature of Faer and other eleven bases was 30℃or above,which caused the wilting and abscission of flowers and young fruits of of red cartridge kiwifruit trees in Faer,Houchang,Miluo,Shunchang,Panlong,shaomi,Jichang and Aga bases blooming and pollinating before March 24,but the flowers of red cartridge kiwifruit trees in Langdai,Longhe,Pugu and Shuangfeng bases blooming and pollinating after March 28 were not damaged.展开更多
Pollination efficiency of hairy footed flower bee Anthophora plumipes for greenhouse strawberry was evaluated in a small greenhouse located in Shimane University, Matsue, Japan (lat. 35°29', long. 133°27...Pollination efficiency of hairy footed flower bee Anthophora plumipes for greenhouse strawberry was evaluated in a small greenhouse located in Shimane University, Matsue, Japan (lat. 35°29', long. 133°27' and elevation 170 m). Twenty five female and six male bees were released in a greenhouse on April 15, 2014. Red clay soil blocks were provided as the nesting materials. Two hundred and fifty pots of strawberry (Fragaria annanasa) were allocated for the following three treatments: 1) no supplementary pollination (control), 2) hand pollination, and 3) bee pollination. Both male and female bees effectively foraged flowers throughout the day. Rate of fertilized seed by the bee pollination was significantly greater than no supplementary pollination (control) and similar to that in the hand pollinated flowers. Quality of the fruits (evaluated based on the shape and deformity) was also improved by the bee pollination. A. plumipes effectively pollinated strawberry flowers in the greenhouse and could be developed as an alternative pollinator for this crop.展开更多
Figs(Ficus, Moraceae) and their pollinating fig wasps(Hymenoptera, Agaonidae, Chalcidoidea) are a striking example of obligate mutualism and coevolution. Agaonid females enter the figs to lay their eggs,but also activ...Figs(Ficus, Moraceae) and their pollinating fig wasps(Hymenoptera, Agaonidae, Chalcidoidea) are a striking example of obligate mutualism and coevolution. Agaonid females enter the figs to lay their eggs,but also actively or passively transport pollen into the figs at the same time. We examined eight related fig tree species pollinated by host specific Eupristina agaonids to determine the relationships between pollination mode, host pollen, ovule ratios and the ability of the figs to recruit additional non-agaonid pollinators. Uniquely amongst the eight Eupristina species, the pollinator of Ficus curtipes has nonfunctional pollen pockets and no coxal combs, showing that it pollinates passively. Reflecting this, the anther-to-ovule ratio of F. curtipes is unusually high.In addition to the agaonids, figs support many species of 'non-pollinating fig wasps'(NPFW) that are typically ovule gallers or parasitoids. These mainly oviposit from outside the figs but there are a few species of NPFW that are like agaonids and enter the figs to oviposit. Two of the eight Eupristina pollinated fig trees support host specific internally-ovipositing fig wasps belonging to the chalcidoid genera Diaziella(Sycoecinae) and Lipothymus(Otitesellinae). Reflecting the trees' pollination modes, these fig wasps act as supplementary pollinators of F. curtipes, but not of Ficus glaberrima, where agaonid pollination is active.展开更多
Glochidion(Phyllanthaceae;leafflower trees)is a genus of trees which is widely reported to be pollinated by leafflower moths(Gracillariidae:Epicephala)in temperate and subtropical Asia,Australia,and the Pacific island...Glochidion(Phyllanthaceae;leafflower trees)is a genus of trees which is widely reported to be pollinated by leafflower moths(Gracillariidae:Epicephala)in temperate and subtropical Asia,Australia,and the Pacific islands.However,the pollination ecology of Glochidion is not well described from tropical Asia,the region where it is most species-rich at both local(<9 spp.)and regional(~200 spp.)scales.Here we report investigations of pollination biology and species-specificity of five Glochidion species in tropical Southeast Asia(Cambodia).Through nocturnal observations and fruit dissections,we find that at least three and likely five Glochidion species in Cambodia are pollinated by seed-parasitic leafflower moths.We find no evidence that any of these leafflower moths are non-mutualistic parasites,despite known examples of such parasites of this mutualism elsewhere in Asia.While the presence of a single larva in a fruit results in only a fraction of seeds being consumed,the presence of more than one larva per fruit-a frequent occurrence in some species—can result in almost all seeds within the fruit being infested.Multilocus phylogenetic analysis indicates that there are five different minimally monophyletic leafflower moth clades,each of which pollinates a unique Glochidion host species.Our results indicate that in its center of diversity in tropical Asia this system is an obligate pollination mutualism as previously described at the global margins of its distribution.These findings provide insights into the processes that generate and maintain biodiversity and maintain mutualism stability in plant-insect interactions in this biodiversity hotspot.展开更多
For the last few decades,the parameter estimation of electromagnetic plane waves i.e.,far field sources,impinging on antenna array geometries has attracted a lot of researchers due to their use in radar,sonar and unde...For the last few decades,the parameter estimation of electromagnetic plane waves i.e.,far field sources,impinging on antenna array geometries has attracted a lot of researchers due to their use in radar,sonar and under water acoustic environments.In this work,nature inspired heuristics based on the flower pollination algorithm(FPA)is designed for the estimation problem of amplitude and direction of arrival of far field sources impinging on uniform linear array(ULA).Using the approximation in mean squared error sense,a fitness function of the problem is developed and the strength of the FPA is utilized for optimization of the cost function representing scenarios for various number of sources non-coherent located in the far field.The worth of the proposed FPA based nature inspired computing heuristic is established through assessment studies on fitness,histograms,cumulative distribution function and box plots analysis.The other worthy perks of the proposed scheme include simplicity of concept,ease in the implementation,extendibility and wide range of applicability to solve complex optimization problems.These salient features make the proposed approach as an attractive alternative to be exploited for solving different parameter estimation problems arising in nonlinear systems,power signal modelling,image processing and fault diagnosis.展开更多
In this paper,a novel design of the flower pollination algorithm is presented for model identification problems in nonlinear active noise control systems.The recently introduced flower pollination based heuristics is ...In this paper,a novel design of the flower pollination algorithm is presented for model identification problems in nonlinear active noise control systems.The recently introduced flower pollination based heuristics is implemented to minimize the mean squared error based merit/cost function representing the scenarios of active noise control system with linear/nonlinear and primary/secondary paths based on the sinusoidal signal,random and complex random signals as noise interferences.The flower pollination heuristics based active noise controllers are formulated through exploitation of nonlinear filtering with Volterra series.The comparative study on statistical observations in terms of accuracy,convergence and complexity measures demonstrates that the proposed meta-heuristic of flower pollination algorithm is reliable,accurate,stable as well as robust for active noise control system.The accuracy of the proposed nature inspired computing of flower pollination is in good agreement with the state of the art counterpart solvers based on variants of genetic algorithms,particle swarm optimization,backtracking search optimization algorithm,fireworks optimization algorithm along with their memetic combination with local search methodologies.Moreover,the central tendency and variation based statistical indices further validate the consistency and reliability of the proposed scheme mimic the mathematical model for the process of flower pollination systems.展开更多
Cimicifuga simplex Wormsk. (Ranunculaceae) is a perennial herb distributed in eastern and northeastern Asia for which at least three different pollination morphs have been reported. It is classified as endangered or n...Cimicifuga simplex Wormsk. (Ranunculaceae) is a perennial herb distributed in eastern and northeastern Asia for which at least three different pollination morphs have been reported. It is classified as endangered or near threatened in some Japanese regions, and its rhizome is commercially used as a crude drug. To examine genetic differentiation and gene flow among the three morphs, we developed eight microsatellite markers by using next-generation sequencing and estimated the genetic structure of C. simplex. We tested eight primer pairs on 93 individuals from six populations of C. simplex in Nagano, central Japan, and found that heterozygosity in morphs I and III was low compared to expected heterozygosity. Bayesian clustering performed with the STRUCTURE program clearly distinguished the three morphs of C. simplex, and only a little gene flow was detected among the morphs. These eight microsatellite markers are expected to be useful in conservation genetic studies of this species and for future conservation planning.展开更多
Sago palm is flowering and fruiting just once in their life cycle. Sago palms that grow naturally and semi cultivated were generally occurred natural pollination to form fruits and seeds, if not cut down to take the s...Sago palm is flowering and fruiting just once in their life cycle. Sago palms that grow naturally and semi cultivated were generally occurred natural pollination to form fruits and seeds, if not cut down to take the starch contained in their trunk. Sago palm pollination may occur as self-pollinated and cross-pollinated. If cross-pollinated was occurred in the pollination process, it will be varied of their progenies. This study aims to reveal the genetic variation of sago palms progenies with naturally pollinated process. The research method is to collect seeds from one parent trees that have produced ripe fruit. Fruit seeds germinated to be made and tested genetic variation using RAPD markers. Isolation of DNA is done by using the fresh young leaves. DNA amplification is done by using RAPD primers. The results showed that the progenies derived from naturally pollinated of sago palms were genetically varied based on RAPD markers and also varied based on morphological phenotypic. Variations occurred in the progenies of sago palm indicated that the sago palms were estimated cross-pollinated naturally, as a result fruits and seeds with genetically differences.展开更多
Bird damage is a problem in sorghum breeding and germplasm maintenance operations. Paper pollination bags are damaged by rain and provide minimal deterrent to birds. Earlier we reported upon bird resistance of spun po...Bird damage is a problem in sorghum breeding and germplasm maintenance operations. Paper pollination bags are damaged by rain and provide minimal deterrent to birds. Earlier we reported upon bird resistance of spun polyethylene pollination bags. Herein, we report the potential for pollen transmission through, and the microenvironment within, hard form (HfT) and soft form (SfT) spun polyethylene pollination bags as compared to traditional Paper pollination bags. Within Paper pollination bags morning temperatures were 10°C - 15°C above ambient and high temperature excursions as high as 45°C were measured. Heating in Sft and HfT was 25% and 50% that of Paper, respectively. Temperature differences between bags were attributed to differences in albedo and air permeability of the bag materials. No difference in pollen transmission through Paper and HfT was found. Although SfT allowed 35% - 40% wind borne pollen through the pores as compared to controls, male sterile plants covered with SfT produced only 30 seeds/panicle, about 1% of a self-pollinating fertile plant. Our results suggested that SfT could adequately reduce or eliminate cross-pollination in self-pollinating plants while maintaining near ambient environmental conditions.展开更多
Bird damage is a problem in sorghum breeding and germplasm maintenance operations. Paper pollination bags are damaged by rain and provide only a minimal deterrent to birds. To overcome these limitations we fabricated ...Bird damage is a problem in sorghum breeding and germplasm maintenance operations. Paper pollination bags are damaged by rain and provide only a minimal deterrent to birds. To overcome these limitations we fabricated pollination bags from spun polyethylene fiber sheeting. No seed yield difference was found between plants bagged with either spun polyethylene or paper. Seed loss by bird damage was nearly eliminated under the polyethylene bags. In areas where bird damage is problematic bird resistant pollination bags can allow for a reduction in the plot size required for breeding and germplasm maintenance operations, increase the productivity of such operations as genetic diversity per unit land area, and make direct measurement of seed yield possible in agronomic field experiments.展开更多
The effect of honeybee (Apis mellifera carnica) on yield was investigated in open-pollinated faba bean cultivars and three inbred generations produced from them (once-selfed, twice-selfed, and thrice-selfed). All entr...The effect of honeybee (Apis mellifera carnica) on yield was investigated in open-pollinated faba bean cultivars and three inbred generations produced from them (once-selfed, twice-selfed, and thrice-selfed). All entries were grown in cages under two pollination conditions: presence of bees (cross-pollination) or absence of bees (self-pollination). The open-pollinated generations gave the highest performance in the presence and absence of bees. In the presence of bees, the open-pollinated and their inbred entries gave higher performance in all of the studied traits than in the absence of bees;the average improvement in yield and its components was 22%. The highest improvement percentage in yield performance was shown by more inbred entries (thrice-selfed > once-selfed), indicating that in faba bean populations, the performance of inbred generations was chiefly associated with the tripping of flowers, which is usually governed by successfully fertilized flowers, i.e., plants result from selfing in faba bean population needs to be visited by pollinating insects (bees) to set more seeds. It concluded that honeybee has an important role in increasing faba bean yield in semi-arid conditions;hence, it is important to provide a pollinator friendly environment for their foraging places and nesting sites to secure food supply.展开更多
The investigations were carried out from September 10 through October 13, 2017 at Tchabbal-Mounguel. On <em>Gossypium hirsutum</em> flowers, investigations were done on many aspects of the pollination serv...The investigations were carried out from September 10 through October 13, 2017 at Tchabbal-Mounguel. On <em>Gossypium hirsutum</em> flowers, investigations were done on many aspects of the pollination services of <em>Amegilla calens</em> and <em>Apis mellifera. G. hirsutum</em> flowers were observed to study the activity of <em>A. calens</em> and <em>A. mellifera</em> and to evaluate their impacts on fruits and seed yields of this Malvaceae. The treatments consisted of 120 flowers left for free pollination, 120 flowers protected from insects using gauze bag nets, 200 protected flowers and visited exclusively by <em>A. calens </em>and <em>A. mellifera</em> and 100 protected flowers then opened and closed without any visit of insects or any other organisms. The results show that on cotton flowers, foragers of <em>A. calens</em> and <em>A. mellifera</em> highly collect nectar and pollen on its flowers. The highest mean number of individuals simultaneously active per 1000 flowers is 587 for <em>A. calens</em> and 526 for <em>A. mellifera</em>. Through their pollinating efficiency, <em>A. calens</em> and <em>A. mellifera </em>caused a significant increase in the fruiting rate by 7.00% and 17.33%, the number of seeds per fruit by 44.20% and 18.32% and the normal seeds by 47.78% and 5.66% respectively. Therefore, the conservation of the nests of <em>A. calens</em> and colonies of <em>A. mellifera</em> around <em>G. hirsutum</em> plantations are to be recommended to improve the fruit and seed yields of this Malvaceae.展开更多
基金funded by the Basic Research Priorities Program of Yunnan Provincethe Applied Basic Research Programs of Science and Technology Department for Young Scholars(No.2019FD005)Technological Innovation Talents Cultivation Project of Yunnan Province(No.202205AD160043)Technological Innovation Talents Cultivation Project of Dehong City(No.2021RC007).
文摘Pollination biology studies of the endangered herbal medicines Dendrobium chrysotoxum were conducted in natural pollination conditions using flower observation,pollinator observation and artificial pollination experiments.Populations of D.chrysotoxum with fragrance and nectar were pollinated by Ctenoplectra davidi Valhalla(Hymenoptera:Apidae)species.The floral structure of D.chrysotoxum adapted precisely to its pollinators.Flowers had a low capsule setting(0.17%)under natural conditions.However,compared to open pollination,artificial pollination experiments showed a significant increase in capsule setting,and D.chrysotoxum was cross-compatible and self-compatible,but there was pollinator limitation also.This study will provide important information for the preservation of this endangered species.
文摘Internet Protocol version 6(IPv6)is the latest version of IP that goal to host 3.4×10^(38)unique IP addresses of devices in the network.IPv6 has introduced new features like Neighbour Discovery Protocol(NDP)and Address Auto-configuration Scheme.IPv6 needed several protocols like the Address Auto-configuration Scheme and Internet Control Message Protocol(ICMPv6).IPv6 is vulnerable to numerous attacks like Denial of Service(DoS)and Distributed Denial of Service(DDoS)which is one of the most dangerous attacks executed through ICMPv6 messages that impose security and financial implications.Therefore,an Intrusion Detection System(IDS)is a monitoring system of the security of a network that detects suspicious activities and deals with amassive amount of data comprised of repetitive and inappropriate features which affect the detection rate.A feature selection(FS)technique helps to reduce the computation time and complexity by selecting the optimum subset of features.This paper proposes a method for detecting DDoS flooding attacks(FA)based on ICMPv6 messages using a Binary Flower PollinationAlgorithm(BFPA-FA).The proposed method(BFPA-FA)employs FS technology with a support vector machine(SVM)to identify the most relevant,influential features.Moreover,The ICMPv6-DDoS dataset was used to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method through different attack scenarios.The results show that the proposed method BFPAFA achieved the best accuracy rate(97.96%)for the ICMPv6 DDoS detection with a reduced number of features(9)to half the total(19)features.The proven proposed method BFPA-FAis effective in the ICMPv6 DDoS attacks via IDS.
文摘Several research studies have proven that eliciting and predicting the impact of human activity on ecosystem services will be crucial to support stakeholders’ awareness and to decide how to interact with the environment in a more sustainable manner. In this sense, the ecosystems known as road verges are particularly important because of their length and surface at an international scale, and their role in mitigating the damage done by roads. Plant pollination by insects is one of the most important ecosystem services. Because of its nature and the fact that they extend across a variety of landscapes, roadside can contribute to the maintenance of healthy ecosystems, under the condition of adapted management practices. This research is the first attempt to develop a System Dynamics-based aiming to estimate the ecological and economic impact of maintenance on the road verge pollination service in France. Maintenance strategies of road verges are simulated to compare their performance. The results show that there are ways to improve current maintenance strategies in terms of pollination value, but also that the model needs to consider other ecosystem services and synergistic effects that could further affect pollination to obtain more accurate estimations.
基金Supported by Special Fund Project for the Construction of National Modern Agricultural Industrial Technology System(CARS-28-28)Science and Technology Innovation Project of Hebei Academy of Agricultural and Forestry Sciences(2022KJCXZX-SGS-5)+1 种基金Hebei Modern Seed Industry Science and Technology Innovation Project(21326308D)Hebei Modern Agricultural Industrial Technology System(HBCT2021210201).
文摘[Objectives]To improve the yield and quality of different pear varieties by supplementary pollination.[Methods]The effects of bee pollination were compared with other pollination methods,and the effects of different factors on honeybee pollination were studied through experiments.[Results]Honeybee pollination significantly increased the number of fruit per inflorescence.In addition,it could improve the single fruit weight,fruit shape and other quality indicators of fruit.The pollination effect of honeybee was the best in all supplementary pollination measures.Honeybee pollination had good fruit setting effect on different pear varieties,but there were some differences in the effect of quality improvement.Spraying lime sulfur mixture and other measures could significantly affect the effects of honeybee pollination.[Conclusions]The research results prove the effectiveness of honeybee pollination technology in Hebei Province,and provide a certain reference for the establishment of a simple and practical artificial assisted pollination technology system.
文摘Shea tree is a major economic plant contributing to household income through the sale of edible fruits, kernels and shea butter. Shea butter is used industrially in the production of cosmetic products, chocolates and margarines. Fruits are used by human and also by birds. This study aimed to explore strategies for the improvement of shea yield through pollination. Two types of pollination (manual and natural pollination) were applied for the comparison of fruits set and their ripening. The fruits set and ripening index as well as average weight of ripe fruits and kernels were estimated. The results showed a significant difference between the fruits set Index of manual pollination and natural pollination (H(1) = 33.437, p = 7.361 × 10<sup>-9</sup>). Similarly, there was a significant difference between the ripening Index of manual pollination and natural pollination (H(1) = 4.5113, p = 0.03367). However, the mode of pollination did not influence the weight of ripe fruits and kernels. Therefore, the manual pollination enhances pollen supply to receptive stigmas for fertilization and improved fruit yield in Vitellaria paradoxa.
文摘Photovoltaic(PV)systems utilize maximum power point tracking(MPPT)controllers to optimize power output amidst varying environmental conditions.However,the presence of multiple peaks resulting from partial shading poses a challenge to the tracking operation.Under partial shade conditions,the global maximum power point(GMPP)may be missed by most traditional maximum power point tracker.The flower pollination algorithm(FPA)and particle swarm optimization(PSO)are two examples of metaheuristic techniques that can be used to solve the issue of failing to track the GMPP.This paper discusses and resolves all issues associated with using the standard FPA method as the MPPT for PV systems.The first issue is that the initial values of pollen are determined randomly at first,which can lead to premature convergence.To minimize the convergence time and enhance the possibility of detecting the GMPP,the initial pollen values were modified so that they were near the expected peak positions.Secondly,in the modified FPA,population fitness and switch probability values both influence swapping between two-mode optimization,which may improve the flower pollination algorithm’s tracking speed.The performance of the modified flower pollination algorithm(MFPA)is assessed through a comparison with the perturb and observe(P&O)method and the standard FPA method.The simulation results reveal that under different partial shading conditions,the tracking time for MFPA is 0.24,0.24,0.22,and 0.23 s,while for FPA,it is 0.4,0.35,0.45,and 0.37 s.Additionally,the simulation results demonstrate that MFPA achieves higher MPPT efficiency in the same four partial shading conditions,with values of 99.98%,99.90%,99.93%,and 99.26%,compared to FPA with MPPT efficiencies of 99.93%,99.88%,99.91%,and 99.18%.Based on the findings from simulations,the proposed method effectively and accurately tracks the GMPP across a diverse set of environmental conditions.
基金Funding(No.U1302262)to W.B.Sun from the NSFC-Yunnan joint fund on key projectsSurvey and Germplasm Conservation of PSESP in Southwest China(2017e2020,2017FY100100)+1 种基金partly supported by the Young Academic and Technical Leader Raising Foundation of Yunnan Province(2015HB091)the Science and Technology Research Program of Kunming Institute of Botany,the Chinese Academy of Science(KIB2016005)to G.Chen
文摘Manglietia ventii is a highly endangered plant species endemic to Yunnan province in China, where there are only five known small populations. Despite abundant flowering there is very low fruit and seed set,and very few seedlings in natural populations, indicating problems with reproduction. The causes of low fecundity in M. ventii are not known, largely because of insufficient knowledge of the species pollination ecology and breeding system. We conducted observations and pollination experiments, and analyzed floral scents to understand the pollinatoreplant interactions and the role of floral scent in this relationship, as well as the species breeding system. Like the majority of Magnoliaceae, M. ventii has protogynous and nocturnal flowers that emit a strong fragrance over two consecutive evenings. There is a closing period(the pre-staminate stage) during the process of anthesis of a flower, and we characterize the key flowering process as an "open-close-reopen" flowering rhythm with five distinct floral stages observed throughout the floral period of this species: pre-pistillate, pistillate, pre-staminate, staminate,and post-staminate. Flowers are in the pistillate stage during the first night of anthesis and enter the staminate stage the next night. During anthesis, floral scent emission occurs in the pistillate and staminate stages. The effective pollinators were weevils(Sitophilus sp.) and beetles(Anomala sp.), while the role of Rove beetles(Aleochara sp.) and thrips(Thrips sp.) in pollination of M. ventii appears to be minor or absent. The major chemical compounds of the floral scents were Limonene, b-Pinene, a-Pinene, 1,8-Cineole, Methyl-2-methylbutyrate, p-Cymene, Methyl-3-methyl-2-butenoate and 2-Methoxy-2-methyl-3-buten, and the relative proportions of these compounds varied between the pistillate and staminate stages. Production of these chemicals coincided with flower visitation by weevils and beetles.The results of pollination experiments suggest that M. ventii is pollinator-dependent, and low seed set in natural populations is a result of insufficient pollen deposition. Thus, conservation of the species should focus on improving pollination service through the introduction of genetically variable individuals and increase in density of reproducing trees.
基金provided by grants from the NSFCYunnan joint fund on key projects to W.B.Sun(No.U1302262)the National Natural Science Foundation of China to G.Chen(31670322)+1 种基金the Young Academic and Technical Leader Raising Foundation of Yunnan Province(No.2015HB091)the Science and Technology Research Program of Kunming Institute of Botany,the Chinese Academy of Sciences(No.KIB2016005)to G.Chen
文摘Pollination and seed dispersal in angiosperms have long been investigated in order to understand the coevolution of plants and animals.However,the signals from flowers and/or seeds to attract pollinators and/or seed dispersers have received comparatively little attention.In this study,the pollination biology and seed dispersal of the vulnerable agarwood plant Aquilaria sinensis(Lour.) Gilg,a traditional medicinal plant in China,was studied in its natural distribution range.The reproductive tactics of A.sinensis were studied in detail by employing various tests dealing with fruit set and also seed dispersal.Dynamic headspace extraction followed by GC-MS analysis was also performed in order to reveal the composition of floral scent.The results showed that noctuids and pyralids are the most effective pollinators of pollinator-dependent A.sinensis.The main compounds of the floral scent were(E,E)-α-Farnesene(61.9 ± 3.2%),trans-Ocimene(16.6 ± 1.2%),and Benzyl salicylate(4.6 ± 1.1%).The results obtained from seed dispersal experiments indicate that hornets are effective seed dispersers and they may play an important role in long-distance seed dispersal of A.sinensis.Based on our findings,we recommend several protection methods for this threatened agarwood plant in China.
基金Supported by Municipal Science and Technology Cooperation Project of Guizhou Province(52020-2015-01-02)Science and Technology Plan Project of Guizhou Province(QINKEHE NY[2012]3020)Liupanshui Planning Project(52020-2021-01-03).
文摘Based on the daily average temperature from March 19 to April 2,2021 at three surface meteorological stations in western Guizhou and the daily average temperature,maximum temperature and minimum temperature from March 19 to April 2,2021 at 12 main automatic meteorological stations of red cartridge kiwifruit base,the effects of low temperature and high temperature on flowering and pollination of red cartridge kiwifruit in early spring of 2021 were analyzed.The results showed that slight cold spell in later spring in western Guizhou occurred from March 21 to 23.The lower limit of the daily average temperature required for flowering period(12℃or below)appeared in each base of red cartridge kiwifruit during March 21-23,which affected the red cartridge kiwifruit trees in Faer,Houchang,Miluo,Shunchang,Panlong and Jichang bases flowering and pollinating before March 20.From March 29 to April 2,the daily maximum temperature of Faer and other eleven bases was 30℃or above,which caused the wilting and abscission of flowers and young fruits of of red cartridge kiwifruit trees in Faer,Houchang,Miluo,Shunchang,Panlong,shaomi,Jichang and Aga bases blooming and pollinating before March 24,but the flowers of red cartridge kiwifruit trees in Langdai,Longhe,Pugu and Shuangfeng bases blooming and pollinating after March 28 were not damaged.
文摘Pollination efficiency of hairy footed flower bee Anthophora plumipes for greenhouse strawberry was evaluated in a small greenhouse located in Shimane University, Matsue, Japan (lat. 35°29', long. 133°27' and elevation 170 m). Twenty five female and six male bees were released in a greenhouse on April 15, 2014. Red clay soil blocks were provided as the nesting materials. Two hundred and fifty pots of strawberry (Fragaria annanasa) were allocated for the following three treatments: 1) no supplementary pollination (control), 2) hand pollination, and 3) bee pollination. Both male and female bees effectively foraged flowers throughout the day. Rate of fertilized seed by the bee pollination was significantly greater than no supplementary pollination (control) and similar to that in the hand pollinated flowers. Quality of the fruits (evaluated based on the shape and deformity) was also improved by the bee pollination. A. plumipes effectively pollinated strawberry flowers in the greenhouse and could be developed as an alternative pollinator for this crop.
基金funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(30571507,30670358)
文摘Figs(Ficus, Moraceae) and their pollinating fig wasps(Hymenoptera, Agaonidae, Chalcidoidea) are a striking example of obligate mutualism and coevolution. Agaonid females enter the figs to lay their eggs,but also actively or passively transport pollen into the figs at the same time. We examined eight related fig tree species pollinated by host specific Eupristina agaonids to determine the relationships between pollination mode, host pollen, ovule ratios and the ability of the figs to recruit additional non-agaonid pollinators. Uniquely amongst the eight Eupristina species, the pollinator of Ficus curtipes has nonfunctional pollen pockets and no coxal combs, showing that it pollinates passively. Reflecting this, the anther-to-ovule ratio of F. curtipes is unusually high.In addition to the agaonids, figs support many species of 'non-pollinating fig wasps'(NPFW) that are typically ovule gallers or parasitoids. These mainly oviposit from outside the figs but there are a few species of NPFW that are like agaonids and enter the figs to oviposit. Two of the eight Eupristina pollinated fig trees support host specific internally-ovipositing fig wasps belonging to the chalcidoid genera Diaziella(Sycoecinae) and Lipothymus(Otitesellinae). Reflecting the trees' pollination modes, these fig wasps act as supplementary pollinators of F. curtipes, but not of Ficus glaberrima, where agaonid pollination is active.
基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China(grants no.31170217 and 31370268 to S.-X.Luo)the Chinese Academy of Sciences’"The Belt and Road"Master Fellowship Programme for providing P.Chheang a fully funded master’s scholarship。
文摘Glochidion(Phyllanthaceae;leafflower trees)is a genus of trees which is widely reported to be pollinated by leafflower moths(Gracillariidae:Epicephala)in temperate and subtropical Asia,Australia,and the Pacific islands.However,the pollination ecology of Glochidion is not well described from tropical Asia,the region where it is most species-rich at both local(<9 spp.)and regional(~200 spp.)scales.Here we report investigations of pollination biology and species-specificity of five Glochidion species in tropical Southeast Asia(Cambodia).Through nocturnal observations and fruit dissections,we find that at least three and likely five Glochidion species in Cambodia are pollinated by seed-parasitic leafflower moths.We find no evidence that any of these leafflower moths are non-mutualistic parasites,despite known examples of such parasites of this mutualism elsewhere in Asia.While the presence of a single larva in a fruit results in only a fraction of seeds being consumed,the presence of more than one larva per fruit-a frequent occurrence in some species—can result in almost all seeds within the fruit being infested.Multilocus phylogenetic analysis indicates that there are five different minimally monophyletic leafflower moth clades,each of which pollinates a unique Glochidion host species.Our results indicate that in its center of diversity in tropical Asia this system is an obligate pollination mutualism as previously described at the global margins of its distribution.These findings provide insights into the processes that generate and maintain biodiversity and maintain mutualism stability in plant-insect interactions in this biodiversity hotspot.
基金the Deanship of Scientific Research at Majmaah University for supporting this work under Project Number No.R-2021-27.
文摘For the last few decades,the parameter estimation of electromagnetic plane waves i.e.,far field sources,impinging on antenna array geometries has attracted a lot of researchers due to their use in radar,sonar and under water acoustic environments.In this work,nature inspired heuristics based on the flower pollination algorithm(FPA)is designed for the estimation problem of amplitude and direction of arrival of far field sources impinging on uniform linear array(ULA).Using the approximation in mean squared error sense,a fitness function of the problem is developed and the strength of the FPA is utilized for optimization of the cost function representing scenarios for various number of sources non-coherent located in the far field.The worth of the proposed FPA based nature inspired computing heuristic is established through assessment studies on fitness,histograms,cumulative distribution function and box plots analysis.The other worthy perks of the proposed scheme include simplicity of concept,ease in the implementation,extendibility and wide range of applicability to solve complex optimization problems.These salient features make the proposed approach as an attractive alternative to be exploited for solving different parameter estimation problems arising in nonlinear systems,power signal modelling,image processing and fault diagnosis.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant Nos.51977153,51977161,51577046State Key Program of National Natural Science Foundation of China under Grant Nos.51637004+1 种基金National Key Research and Development Plan“important scientific instruments and equipment development”Grant No.2016YFF010220Equipment research project in advance Grant No.41402040301.
文摘In this paper,a novel design of the flower pollination algorithm is presented for model identification problems in nonlinear active noise control systems.The recently introduced flower pollination based heuristics is implemented to minimize the mean squared error based merit/cost function representing the scenarios of active noise control system with linear/nonlinear and primary/secondary paths based on the sinusoidal signal,random and complex random signals as noise interferences.The flower pollination heuristics based active noise controllers are formulated through exploitation of nonlinear filtering with Volterra series.The comparative study on statistical observations in terms of accuracy,convergence and complexity measures demonstrates that the proposed meta-heuristic of flower pollination algorithm is reliable,accurate,stable as well as robust for active noise control system.The accuracy of the proposed nature inspired computing of flower pollination is in good agreement with the state of the art counterpart solvers based on variants of genetic algorithms,particle swarm optimization,backtracking search optimization algorithm,fireworks optimization algorithm along with their memetic combination with local search methodologies.Moreover,the central tendency and variation based statistical indices further validate the consistency and reliability of the proposed scheme mimic the mathematical model for the process of flower pollination systems.
文摘Cimicifuga simplex Wormsk. (Ranunculaceae) is a perennial herb distributed in eastern and northeastern Asia for which at least three different pollination morphs have been reported. It is classified as endangered or near threatened in some Japanese regions, and its rhizome is commercially used as a crude drug. To examine genetic differentiation and gene flow among the three morphs, we developed eight microsatellite markers by using next-generation sequencing and estimated the genetic structure of C. simplex. We tested eight primer pairs on 93 individuals from six populations of C. simplex in Nagano, central Japan, and found that heterozygosity in morphs I and III was low compared to expected heterozygosity. Bayesian clustering performed with the STRUCTURE program clearly distinguished the three morphs of C. simplex, and only a little gene flow was detected among the morphs. These eight microsatellite markers are expected to be useful in conservation genetic studies of this species and for future conservation planning.
文摘Sago palm is flowering and fruiting just once in their life cycle. Sago palms that grow naturally and semi cultivated were generally occurred natural pollination to form fruits and seeds, if not cut down to take the starch contained in their trunk. Sago palm pollination may occur as self-pollinated and cross-pollinated. If cross-pollinated was occurred in the pollination process, it will be varied of their progenies. This study aims to reveal the genetic variation of sago palms progenies with naturally pollinated process. The research method is to collect seeds from one parent trees that have produced ripe fruit. Fruit seeds germinated to be made and tested genetic variation using RAPD markers. Isolation of DNA is done by using the fresh young leaves. DNA amplification is done by using RAPD primers. The results showed that the progenies derived from naturally pollinated of sago palms were genetically varied based on RAPD markers and also varied based on morphological phenotypic. Variations occurred in the progenies of sago palm indicated that the sago palms were estimated cross-pollinated naturally, as a result fruits and seeds with genetically differences.
文摘Bird damage is a problem in sorghum breeding and germplasm maintenance operations. Paper pollination bags are damaged by rain and provide minimal deterrent to birds. Earlier we reported upon bird resistance of spun polyethylene pollination bags. Herein, we report the potential for pollen transmission through, and the microenvironment within, hard form (HfT) and soft form (SfT) spun polyethylene pollination bags as compared to traditional Paper pollination bags. Within Paper pollination bags morning temperatures were 10°C - 15°C above ambient and high temperature excursions as high as 45°C were measured. Heating in Sft and HfT was 25% and 50% that of Paper, respectively. Temperature differences between bags were attributed to differences in albedo and air permeability of the bag materials. No difference in pollen transmission through Paper and HfT was found. Although SfT allowed 35% - 40% wind borne pollen through the pores as compared to controls, male sterile plants covered with SfT produced only 30 seeds/panicle, about 1% of a self-pollinating fertile plant. Our results suggested that SfT could adequately reduce or eliminate cross-pollination in self-pollinating plants while maintaining near ambient environmental conditions.
文摘Bird damage is a problem in sorghum breeding and germplasm maintenance operations. Paper pollination bags are damaged by rain and provide only a minimal deterrent to birds. To overcome these limitations we fabricated pollination bags from spun polyethylene fiber sheeting. No seed yield difference was found between plants bagged with either spun polyethylene or paper. Seed loss by bird damage was nearly eliminated under the polyethylene bags. In areas where bird damage is problematic bird resistant pollination bags can allow for a reduction in the plot size required for breeding and germplasm maintenance operations, increase the productivity of such operations as genetic diversity per unit land area, and make direct measurement of seed yield possible in agronomic field experiments.
文摘The effect of honeybee (Apis mellifera carnica) on yield was investigated in open-pollinated faba bean cultivars and three inbred generations produced from them (once-selfed, twice-selfed, and thrice-selfed). All entries were grown in cages under two pollination conditions: presence of bees (cross-pollination) or absence of bees (self-pollination). The open-pollinated generations gave the highest performance in the presence and absence of bees. In the presence of bees, the open-pollinated and their inbred entries gave higher performance in all of the studied traits than in the absence of bees;the average improvement in yield and its components was 22%. The highest improvement percentage in yield performance was shown by more inbred entries (thrice-selfed > once-selfed), indicating that in faba bean populations, the performance of inbred generations was chiefly associated with the tripping of flowers, which is usually governed by successfully fertilized flowers, i.e., plants result from selfing in faba bean population needs to be visited by pollinating insects (bees) to set more seeds. It concluded that honeybee has an important role in increasing faba bean yield in semi-arid conditions;hence, it is important to provide a pollinator friendly environment for their foraging places and nesting sites to secure food supply.
文摘The investigations were carried out from September 10 through October 13, 2017 at Tchabbal-Mounguel. On <em>Gossypium hirsutum</em> flowers, investigations were done on many aspects of the pollination services of <em>Amegilla calens</em> and <em>Apis mellifera. G. hirsutum</em> flowers were observed to study the activity of <em>A. calens</em> and <em>A. mellifera</em> and to evaluate their impacts on fruits and seed yields of this Malvaceae. The treatments consisted of 120 flowers left for free pollination, 120 flowers protected from insects using gauze bag nets, 200 protected flowers and visited exclusively by <em>A. calens </em>and <em>A. mellifera</em> and 100 protected flowers then opened and closed without any visit of insects or any other organisms. The results show that on cotton flowers, foragers of <em>A. calens</em> and <em>A. mellifera</em> highly collect nectar and pollen on its flowers. The highest mean number of individuals simultaneously active per 1000 flowers is 587 for <em>A. calens</em> and 526 for <em>A. mellifera</em>. Through their pollinating efficiency, <em>A. calens</em> and <em>A. mellifera </em>caused a significant increase in the fruiting rate by 7.00% and 17.33%, the number of seeds per fruit by 44.20% and 18.32% and the normal seeds by 47.78% and 5.66% respectively. Therefore, the conservation of the nests of <em>A. calens</em> and colonies of <em>A. mellifera</em> around <em>G. hirsutum</em> plantations are to be recommended to improve the fruit and seed yields of this Malvaceae.
