Relative abundances and foraging behaviour of honey bee ...isss.ind.in/pdf/2013volume/8.pdf · Key...
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50 Relative abundances and foraging behaviour of honey bee species on minor seed spice crops Krishna Kant*, Balraj Singh, S. R. Meena, J. K. Ranjan, B. K. Mishra, R.K. Solanki and Mukesh Kumar National Research Centre on Seed Spices, Ajmer-305206(Rajasthan) Abstract Study of honey bee abundance on crops of anise (Pimpenella anisum L.), dill (Anethum graveolens L.), nigella (Nigella sativa L.) and ajowan (Trachyspermum ammi Sprague) showed that bees were main pollinator of these crops. Among different honey bees visited on different seed spice crops, Apis florea L. was most abundant and active on these crop during entire flowering period. Apis dorsata L. and Apis mellifera L. were two other species found pollinating and foraging on these crops. Observation on relative abundance showed that A. florea was most active on ajowan followed by dill, anise and nigella. A.dorsata was most active on nigella than dill, whereas A. mellifera preferred more on nigella and anise crops. Key words : Foraging behaviour, honey bees, relative abundance Introduction Insects pollinate approximately 90% of flowering plant species worldwide (Buchmann and Nabhan,3). Pollinators are important in determining the mating opportunities of plants. Most plant species are generalists in terms of pollination (Waser et al., 15, Olesen 10) relying on multiple pollinator species. However, not all pollinators are equally effective at depositing pollen and effecting seed set (Herrera 6, Wilson and Thomson 16, Mayfield et al.,8). Plant can be affected by variation in pollinators (Herrera 7, Price et al., 12). Honey bee (Apis spp.) are the most important pollinator of agricultural and horticultural crops. Their body parts are modified to effect pollination and wide range of host range enable them to pollinate many type of crops. Honey bees has longest visiting time on crop and less affected by adverse climatic situation than many other insect pollinators. Their close relation to many of important crops and its foraging behaviour qualify them as most successful pollinators. Honey bees are reported to play a vital role in enhancing the productivity level of different crops including most of seed spices crops (Choudhary and Singh, 5, Abrol,1, Sihag,13). The enhanced quality of seed/fruit in various vegetables crop has been reported when these crops pollinated by managed bee colonies. (Abrol,2,Pratap and Verma,11). Among different species of honey bee, domesticated bee species (Apis mellifera and Apis cerana) have special value because their population can be managed accordingly to need of crops and flowering duration. Other wild bee species specially Apis dorsata and Apis florea also play important role in many horticultural and seed International J. Seed Spices 3(2), July 2013:51-54 *Corresponding author: Email: [email protected] spice crops. ( Sihag,13) . Most of the seed spices crops belong to family apiaceae and have cross pollinated in nature. The quality and production of seed spices are dependent on nature of pollinator and quality of pollination. Insects are prime pollinator to most of the seed spice crops. Flowers of seed spices crops are attractive in colours and also contain high nectar and fragrance, which attract large numbers of insects including honey bees. Honey bees, which comprises major insect visitor as pollinator or foragers on many seed spices crops play significant role in pollination of these crops. Present investigation was carried out to identify important honey bee species associated to minor seed spice crops as pollination agents. Materials and methods Present investigation on foraging activities and relative abundance of different honey bees on minor seed spice crops was carried out at NRC on Seed Spices, Ajmer (Rajasthan) experimental farm during 2009-10 and 2010- 11. Seed spice crops namely anise (Pimpenella anisum L.), dill (Anethum graveolens L.), Nigella (Nigella sativa L.) and ajowan (Trachyspermum ammi Sprague) was grown during rabi season and standard agronomical practices were followed to raise the crop. . Among different species of honey bee Apis mellifera L. colony was maintained at Institute farm and was about 500 m away from experimental crops. Total three colonies were maintained with full population strength. Other species of bee i.e., Apis dorsata and Apis florae were available naturally in wild plant and shrubs in Institute farm as well as in nearby
Transcript of Relative abundances and foraging behaviour of honey bee ...isss.ind.in/pdf/2013volume/8.pdf · Key...
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International Journal of Seed Spices
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Relative abundances and foraging behaviour of honey beespecies on minor seed spice crops
Krishna Kant*, Balraj Singh, S. R. Meena, J. K. Ranjan, B. K. Mishra,R.K. Solanki and Mukesh Kumar
National Research Centre on Seed Spices, Ajmer-305206(Rajasthan)
AbstractStudy of honey bee abundance on crops of anise (Pimpenella anisum L.), dill (Anethum graveolens L.), nigella (Nigellasativa L.) and ajowan (Trachyspermum ammi Sprague) showed that bees were main pollinator of these crops. Amongdifferent honey bees visited on different seed spice crops, Apis florea L. was most abundant and active on these cropduring entire flowering period. Apis dorsata L. and Apis mellifera L. were two other species found pollinating andforaging on these crops. Observation on relative abundance showed that A. florea was most active on ajowan followedby dill, anise and nigella. A.dorsata was most active on nigella than dill, whereas A. mellifera preferred more on nigellaand anise crops.Key words : Foraging behaviour, honey bees, relative abundance
IntroductionInsects pollinate approximately 90% of flowering plantspecies worldwide (Buchmann and Nabhan,3). Pollinatorsare important in determining the mating opportunities ofplants. Most plant species are generalists in terms ofpollination (Waser et al., 15, Olesen 10) relying on multiplepollinator species. However, not all pollinators are equallyeffective at depositing pollen and effecting seed set(Herrera 6, Wilson and Thomson 16, Mayfield et al.,8).Plant can be affected by variation in pollinators (Herrera7, Price et al., 12). Honey bee (Apis spp.) are the mostimportant pollinator of agricultural and horticultural crops.Their body parts are modified to effect pollination andwide range of host range enable them to pollinate manytype of crops. Honey bees has longest visiting time oncrop and less affected by adverse climatic situation thanmany other insect pollinators. Their close relation to manyof important crops and its foraging behaviour qualify themas most successful pollinators. Honey bees are reportedto play a vital role in enhancing the productivity level ofdifferent crops including most of seed spices crops(Choudhary and Singh, 5, Abrol,1, Sihag,13). Theenhanced quality of seed/fruit in various vegetables crophas been reported when these crops pollinated bymanaged bee colonies. (Abrol,2,Pratap and Verma,11).Among different species of honey bee, domesticated beespecies (Apis mellifera and Apis cerana) have specialvalue because their population can be managedaccordingly to need of crops and flowering duration. Otherwild bee species specially Apis dorsata and Apis floreaalso play important role in many horticultural and seed
International J. Seed Spices 3(2), July 2013:51-54
*Corresponding author: Email: [email protected]
spice crops. ( Sihag,13) . Most of the seed spices cropsbelong to family apiaceae and have cross pollinated innature. The quality and production of seed spices aredependent on nature of pollinator and quality of pollination.Insects are prime pollinator to most of the seed spicecrops. Flowers of seed spices crops are attractive incolours and also contain high nectar and fragrance, whichattract large numbers of insects including honey bees.Honey bees, which comprises major insect visitor aspollinator or foragers on many seed spices crops playsignificant role in pollination of these crops. Presentinvestigation was carried out to identify important honeybee species associated to minor seed spice crops aspollination agents.
Materials and methods Present investigation on foraging activities and relativeabundance of different honey bees on minor seed spicecrops was carried out at NRC on Seed Spices, Ajmer(Rajasthan) experimental farm during 2009-10 and 2010-11. Seed spice crops namely anise (Pimpenella anisumL.), dill (Anethum graveolens L.), Nigella (Nigella sativaL.) and ajowan (Trachyspermum ammi Sprague) was grownduring rabi season and standard agronomical practiceswere followed to raise the crop. . Among different speciesof honey bee Apis mellifera L. colony was maintained atInstitute farm and was about 500 m away fromexperimental crops. Total three colonies were maintainedwith full population strength. Other species of bee i.e.,Apis dorsata and Apis florae were available naturally inwild plant and shrubs in Institute farm as well as in nearby
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areas. Theses bee species exploited seed spice cropsas source of pollen and nectar during cropping seasons.Observation on bee visit to these crops was taken at fullbloom during first week of March. Daily observation ofbee visit for 07 days was recorded at four times at 7.0-8.0am, 10.0-11.0 am, 1.0-2.0 pm and 4.0-5.0 pm. Theobservation were taken on total number of bee visit ofdifferent species for 5 minute per umbel at 10 selectedumbels in different locations of the crops at different timeintervals, thus average bee visit, relative abundance andforaging behaviour was worked out.
Result and discussionData on relative abundances of different honey beespecies on selected seed spices showed that only threespecies of honey bee A. dorsata , A. mellifera and A.florea. was found active on these crops for foragingactivities ( Table-1) . A. florea was observed most activeon all the crops and constitute major bee species involvedin pollination. It constitute 91.62% of total bee populationin ajowan,72.31% in dill and 55.27% in anise crops.A.dorsata was most prevalent on nigella than any otherspecies and contributes 37.91% of bee population andwere next only to A.florea in terms of total population onthe crops. A. mellifera was observed more active on nigellaand anise. Foraging behaviour of bees on crop at differenttime intervals showed that minimum numbers of bee werenoticed during 07-08am and maximum in between 10.0-11.0 am. ( Table-2) The second peak activities of beeswere observed during evening hours at 4.0 -5.0 pm. Incase of numbers of bees visit per 5 minutes, A. floreaconstitutes maximum strength of bee numbers on dill,anise and ajowan crop with maximum of 20 bees per 5minutes at 10.0-11.0 am in ajowan crop and average of11.5 bee per 5 minutes followed by Apis dorsata on Nigellacrop ( 6.0 bees per 5 minutes) with average of 3.5 beesper 5 minute. Narayanan et al. (9) found that A. floreaconstitutes 81% of total bees population in fennel crop.In nigella crop bees A. mellifera was found major beepollinator and maximum activities was noticed at 12.0noon to 2.0 pm (Waheb and Ebadah, 14). Choudhary andSingh, (5) noticed that A. mellifera was main bee specieswhich visited on coriander and its maximum activities wasnoticed between 11.00am to 4.0 pm. In fennel crop sixapoidea species were recorded which contributed 39.5%of the total insect visitors on the crop and the Italianhoneybee A. mellifera was the most prominent, comprising32.5% of the flower visitors followed by Indian hive bee A.cerana F. (4.3 %) and rock bee A. dorsata F. (2.6%)(Choudhary, 4, Abrol, 1) found that Apis florae as mostdominant pollinator of fennel. Sihag, (13) reported Andrenaleaena, Apis florae,Apis dorsata and some dipteran werethe most dominant visitor of fennel,coriander and cumin.
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AcknowledgementAuthors are thankful to Director, NRC on Seed Spices(ICAR), Ajmer, for providing necessary facilities duringpresent investigation.References1. Abrol, D.P. 1985. Analysis of biophysical
interaction in causing foraging behavior of somebees-a study in bioenergetics. Ph.D. thesis,Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar.286 pp.
2. Abrol, D.P.1991. Conservation of pollinator forpromotion of agriculture production in India.J.Anim. Morphol. Physiol. 38(1/2):123-139.
3. Buchmann SL, Nabhan GP 1996. ‘The ForgottenPollinators.’ (Island Press/Shearwater Books:Washington D.C.)
4. Choudhary, O.P.2006. Diversity, foragingbehaviour of floral visitors and pollination ecologyof fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill.). J. SpiceAeromatic crops.15 (1):34-41.
5. Choudhary,O.P.and Singh,J. 2007. Diversity,temporal abundance, foraging behaviour of floralvisitors and effect of different modes of pollinationon coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.). J. SpiceAeromatic crops.16(1):8-14.
6. Herrera, C.M.1987. Components of pollinator“quality”: comparative analysis of a diverse insectassemblage. Oikos 50: 79-90.
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9. Narayanan, E.S., Sharma, P.l. and Phadke,K.G.1960. Studies on requirement of variouscrops for insect pollination. I. Insect pollinationof sauf (Foeniculum valgare) with particularreerence to the honey bees at Pusa ( Bihar).Indian Bee J. 22(1/3):7-11.
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11. Pratap, U. and Verma,L.R.1994. Pollination ofradish by Apis cerana. J. Apic. Res. 33:237-241.
12. Price, M.V., Waser, N.M., Irwin, R,E,, Campbell,D,R, and Brody AK 2005. Temporal and spatialvariation in pollination of a montane herb: a seven-year study. Ecology 86: 2106-2116.
13. Sihag, R.C.1986. Insect pollination increase seedproduction in cruciferous and umbelleferous crops.J. Apic Res.25(2):121-126.
14. WahabAbd-El,T.E. and Ebadah, I.M.A. 2011.Impact of Honeybee and Other Insect Pollinatorson the Seed Setting and Yield Production of Black
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Received : January 2013; Revised : March 2013; Accepted: May 2013.
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