Ever increasing worldwide energy consumption has lead to a steep rise of biofuel feedstock production in agriculture. However, its ecological sustainability is questioned. Evaluating biodiversity and ecosystem services of biofuel feedstock production is essential for the
assessment of ecological sustainability. A full understanding of the breeding and pollination system of plant species considered for feedstock is crucial to evaluate the importance of pollination services for biofuel agroecosystems and thus their sustainability.
False flax, Camelina sativa and pennycress, Thlaspi arvense are potential crop species considered for biofuel production in temperate areas such as Germany. Little is known about their pollination mechanisms. Thus, the objective of this study was to assess the pollination and breeding system of both species.
We conducted pollination experiments and observed flower‐visiting insects on experimental plots in Dundenheim, Baden‐Württemberg, Germany. Camelina sativa and Thlaspi arvense were grown from June until September. Pollination treatments included self pollination, wind pollination, hand cross pollination and open pollination. Treatments were conducted on a whole‐plant scale using ten plant individuals each. After harvest we counted the seeds and calculated fruit set, number of seeds per open flower and seed weight per open flower as measures for pollination success. Flower visitors were surveyed by half‐hour transect walks.
Preliminary results point to a breeding system based on self pollination for C. sativa and wind pollination for T. arvense. C. sativa showed higher overall visitation rates compared to T. arvense. Also, honeybees were abundant in C. sativa, but were not found at all on T. arvense. Our results indicate that both potential biofuel crop species produce without pollinators, but attract different pollinator functional groups by providing flower resources at times of the year when no or few other crop fields are in bloom.