Pollifauniflor, a seed mix for farmers

The French Biodiversity Agency and its partners have developed a seed mix for farmers in order to encourage the development of pollinators on land lying fallow.

Since 2016, a multi-partner programme financed by the Centre-Val de Loire Region has aimed to combine biodiversity and agronomy by developing a seed mixture that is favourable to pollinators and wildlife, while at the same time being compatible with seed production.

Over 4 years, several mixtures were evaluated on small test plots. Botanical, flowering and pollination (pollen traps on beehives) monitoring, along with entomological inventories were carried out on the flowering fallow plots as well as on nearby crops.

This work made it possible to create a bee-friendly wildflower mix called "Pollifauniflor" composed of 10 species:

• Yarrow,
• Marguerite Daisy,
• Borage,
• Cultivated Alfalfa,
• Common Mallow,

• Cultivated Sainfoin,
• Cultivated Buckwheat,
• Cultivated Marigold,
• White Clover,
• Red Clover.

The very positive results now make it possible to anticipate large-scale dissemination within farms. With this in mind, an awareness-raising day was organised on 16th June, mainly for seed producers and distributors. All the partners attended in order to present the work carried out, the importance of bee friendly wildflowers for small wildlife and some recommendations on strategies for implantation and maintenance.

In terms of outlook, the partners now wish to study the feasibility of introducing several species from the "Végétal Local” (local seed) label.

Farmers wishing to obtain the "Pollifauniflor" seed mix should contact the Chamber of Agriculture, the Departmental Federation of Hunters or the association Hommes et Territoires.