POLLINATORS ABUNDANCE WITH SPECIAL REFERENCE TO ROLE OF HONEYBEES IN SEED PRODUCTION OF CMS LINE OF PIGEON PEA, Cajanus cajan L.
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Date
2009-07-10
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University of Agricultural Sciences, Bangalore
Abstract
Experiment was conducted at NSP, UAS, GKVK, Bangalore to study the insect
pollinators abundance with special reference to role of honeybees in seed production of
CMS line of pigeon pea UPAS – 120. Pigeon pea flowers were visited by thirty species
of insect pollinators, of which twenty one species belong to order Hymenoptera, two to
Diptera and four to Lepidoptera, one each to Coleoptera, Hemiptera and Thysanoptera.
The members of the family Apidae of order Hymenoptera constituted 55.75 per cent
compared to other pollinators (44.25%). The peak nectar foraging of honeybees on A line
(CMS line) flowers was bimodal and it was at 1000 h to 1500 h. Similarly, the maximum
pollen and nectar foraging activity on B line was at 1000 h and 1500 h of the day. The
maximum time spent by honeybee species for nectar foraging on A line was recorded at
1000 h, whereas time spent varied from 1000 h to 1400 h for nectar foraging on B line.
Similarly, maximum time spent for pollen foraging activity on B line was recorded at
1000 h of the day. On body body weight basis, pollen load carried by Apis cerana on B
line was significantly high compared to A. florea and T. iridipennis whereas, higher
pollen carrying efficiency was recorded in T. iridipennis, followed by A. florea and Apis
cerana. The per cent pod set, pod length, pod weight, seeds per pod, seed size and seed
weight was maximum in three bee visits per flower on both A and B line. Impact of
different modes of pollination on yield parameters in pigeon pea A line (CMS line) as
mentioned above including pod volume and germination per cent was maximum in open
pollination, followed by A. florea, A. cerana and T. iridipennis pollination plot.
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