OPERATION POLLINATOR: A NEW WAY FOR THE PROTECTION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF INSECT POLLINATORS IN DIFFERENT AGROECOSYSTEM - RESULTS OF SEVEN YEARS OF EXPERIMENT IN ITALY

Abstract

Pollination by native honeybees and other pollinating insects is very important for the economy of farmer and the ecosystems. For these reasons, in Italy, a project between the Faculty of Agriculture of the University of Perugia (currently DSA3) and Syngenta Crop Protection S.p.a. (currently Syngenta Italia S.p.a.) started in order to verify if the presence of autochtonous vegetation could be not only attractive for the pollinating insects but also fit for safeguarding the useful insects and increasing their populations. This study indicates that it is practical for growers to create valuable habitats suitable for natural pollinators. Moreover, it is possible to significantly reduce soil erosion and protect the water resources from pollution through a careful planning and management. Based on 5-years results in Italy and others European Countries, actually “Operation Pollinator” is applied in 13 European Countries besides Swizerland, UK and USA with the aim to safeguard native pollinating insects and honeybees. Our study, connected to the “Operation Pollinator”, can be considered as forerunner of the Greening Measures within the new EU Common Agricultural Policy (2014-2020).

Keywords

• Adalia bipunctata
• Apis mellifera ligustica
• pollinator insects
• Reasoned set-aside
• underbasket devices