Enhancing pollination by attracting and retaining leaf cutting bees, Megachile rotundata, in alfalfa seed production fields

1. To establish the chemosensory basis of attraction in ALCB to alfalfa, and isolate and identify biologically active volatile constituent(s) of alfalfa floral odors and ALCB fecal rings and leaf cuttings by utilizing ALCB antennae as biological detectors. 2. To determine the exact relative amounts of the biologically active constituents in floral odors and/or ALCB fecal rings or leaf cuttings to reconstitute a synthetic blend and formulate it as field deployable baits. 3. To test the impact of the odor (VOC) bait in maintaining ALCBs to their respective domiciles upon release in alfalfa seed-production fields.