Skip to main navigation menu Skip to main content Skip to site footer
Plant Science Today (PST)

Research Articles

Vol. 11 No. sp4 (2024): Recent Advances in Agriculture by Young Minds - I

Weather driven pollination efficiency and foraging activity of stingless bee, Tetragonula iridipennis Smith in chilli, Capsicum annum

DOI
https://doi.org/10.14719/pst.5166
Submitted
20 September 2024
Published
26-12-2024

Abstract

The core objective of this study was to determine suitable pollination methods among stingless bee pollination, open pollination with stingless bee colony and self-pollination, along with the foraging activity of bees in relation to weather influences and their impact on fruit yield and qualities. This investigation was carried out during the Kharif and Rabi cropping seasons using 3 different pollination methods. Bee foraging activity in relation to weather factors was observed at different times of day during the flowering period until the first harvest of chilli fruits and yield attributes were ascertained from all treatments. Results showed that during the Kharif and Rabi cropping seasons, the foraging activity in open pollination supplemented with stingless bee peaked between 1200–1400 h and 1100–1200 h with outgoing bees (28.6 and 25.2 bees/5 min/h), pollen foragers (8.4 and 4.3) and nectar foragers (27.0 and 21.4) respectively. Furthermore, the peak resin foragers (3.7) were observed in Kharif between 1600 – 1700 h and in Rabi (2.3) between 1100–1200 h. In both seasons, all foragers were positively influenced by temperature and wind, whereas negatively influenced by rainfall and relative humidity. Amongst Kharif and Rabi cropping, the yield attributes like the number of flower setting/plant (183.67 ± 11.90 and 177.00 ± 14.76), number of fruit setting/plant (82.67 ± 1.25 and 80.00 ± 0.82) and yield (1099.33 ± 69.93 and 984.20 ± 108.59 kg/ac) were maximum in the open pollination with stingless bee, followed by bee and self-pollination. These findings underscore the significant role of stingless bees in increased chilli production. Detailed foraging behavior in relation to weather factors was studied to inform future crop-specific manageable pollination.

References

  1. Marín A, Ferreres F, Tomás-Barberán FA, Gil MI. Characterization and quantitation of antioxidant constituents of sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum L.). J Agric Food Chem. 2004 Jun 16;52(12):3861-69. https://doi.org/10.1021/jf0497915
  2. Meckelmann SW, Riegel DW, Van Zonneveld MJ, Ríos L, Peña K, Ugas R, et al. Compositional characterization of native Peruvian chili peppers (Capsicum spp.). J Agric Food Chem. 2013 Mar 13;61(10):2530-37. https://doi.org/10.1021/jf304986q
  3. Nasrin M, Amin MR, Miah MR, Akanda AM, Miah MG. Impact of foraging insect pollinators on chili production. Bangladesh J Agril Res. 2021 Sep;46(3):297-306.
  4. Food and Agriculture Organization. FAOSTAT database. FAO; 2023. Available from: https://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#data/QCL
  5. Indiastat. Area production and yield of capsicum in India (2011-12 to 2022-23-2nd advance estimates) [Internet]. Indiastat.com; 2023. Available from: https://www.indiastat.com/table/capsicum/area-production-yield-capsicum-india-2011-2012-202/962295
  6. Chadha ML, Gniffke PA. International scenario on research and development in chillies. In: Kumar R, Rai AB, Singh HP, editors. Advances in Chilli Research. New Delhi: Studium Press; 2010.p.51-86.
  7. Vishwakarma R, Singh R. Insect pollinators and their pollinating efficiency on fruit yield of chilli. Adv Biores. 2018;9(6):124-29. https://doi.org/10.15515/abr.0976-4585.9.6.124129
  8. Dag A, Kammer Y. Comparison between the effectiveness of honey bee (Apis mellifera) and bumble bee (Bombus terrestris) as pollinators of greenhouse sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum). Am Bee J. 2001;141:447-48.
  9. Chauhan A, Imtinaro L. Impact of bee pollination on chilli, Capsicum annum under the low-hill conditions of Nagaland. Int J Farm Sci. 2024;14(1&2):64-69. https://doi.org/10.5958/2250-0499.2024.00027.X
  10. Aizen MA, Aguiar S, Biesmeijer JC, Garibaldi LA, Inouye DW, Jung C, et al. Global agricultural productivity is threatened by increasing pollinator dependence without a parallel increase in crop diversification. Glob Change Biol. 2019 Oct;25(10):3516-27. https://doi.org/10.1111/gcb.14736
  11. Rader R, Cunningham SA, Howlett BG, Inouye DW. Non-bee insects as visitors and pollinators of crops: Biology, Ecology and Management. Annu Rev Entomol. 2020 Jan 7;65(1):391-407.
  12. Layek U, Kundu A, Bisui S, Karmakar P. Impact of managed stingless bee and western honey bee colonies on native pollinators and yield of watermelon: A comparative study. Ann Agri Sci. 2021 Jun 1;66(1):38-45. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aoas.2021.02.004
  13. Nkoba K, Maria IP, Annette VO, Junior K, Felix W, Frank VL, et al. Effective pollination of greenhouse Galia musk melon (Cucumis melo L. var. reticulatus ser.) by Afrotropical stingless bee species. J Environ Health. 2022. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00218839.2021.2021641
  14. Food and Agriculture Organization. Why bees matter: The important of bees and other pollinators for food and agriculture. Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Food, Slovenia; 2018
  15. Layek U, Karmakar P. Nesting characteristics, floral resources and foraging activity of Trigona iridipennis Smith in Bankura district of West Bengal, India. Insectes Soc. 2018 Feb;65:117-32. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00040-017-0593-4
  16. Aminatun T, Sugiyarto L, Setyawan SA, Desiliani A. The effect of pollinator insect visitation on flower development and productivity of chilli plant. J Phys Conf Ser. IOP Publishing. 2019 Nov 1;1387(1):012002. https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/1387/1/012002
  17. Frere M. Overview of agrometeorology. Satellite remote sensing applications in agroclimatology and agrometeorology. In: Proceedings of the Joint ESA/FAO/WMO International Training Course held 2-13 October, 1978 in Rome, Italy. Edited by EC Barrett. ESA SP-1020. European Space Agency; 1979.1020(3): p.3.
  18. Gallai N, Salles JM, Settele J, Vaissière BE. Economic valuation of the vulnerability of world agriculture confronted with pollinator decline. Ecol Econ. 2009 Jan 15;68(3):810-21. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2008.06.014
  19. Klein AM, Vaissière BE, Cane JH, Steffan-Dewenter I, Cunningham SA, Kremen C, Tscharntke T. Importance of pollinators in changing landscapes for world crops. Proc Royal Soc Biol Sci. 2007 Feb 7;274(1608):303-13. https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2006.3721
  20. SaaiVignesh B, Jayaraj J, Nalini R, Kumutha K, Srinivasan MR, Jayakanthan M, Suresh K. Impact of artificial pollen diet on colony productivity in stingless bee, Tetragonula iridipennis (Smith) (Hymenoptera: Apidae) during dearth period. J Xidian Univ. 2024;18(6):247-53. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.11488836
  21. Putra RE, Kinasih I. Efficiency of local Indonesia honey bees (Apis cerana L.) and stingless bee (Trigona iridipennis) on tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) pollination. Pak J Biol Sci. 2014;17(1):86-91. https://doi.org/0.3923/pjbs.201.86.91
  22. Divija SD, Kamala Jayanthi PD. Pollination efficiency and foraging behaviour of honey bees and flies to onion Allium cepa L. J Apic Res. 2022 Oct 20;61(5):688-94. https://doi.org/10.1080/00218839.2022.2096305
  23. Benedek P, Gaal E. The effect of insect pollination on seed onion, with observations on the behaviour of honeybees on the crop. J Apic Res. 1972 Jan 1;11(3):175-80. https://doi.org/10.1080/00218839.1972.11099720
  24. Rodrigues GC, Braga RP. Evaluation of NASA POWER reanalysis products to estimate daily weather variables in a hot summer mediterranean climate. Agron. 2021 Jun 14;11(6):1207. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11061207
  25. Chambers JM. Software for data analysis: programming with R. New York: Springer; 2008 Jun 14. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-75936-4
  26. Danaraddi CS. Studies on stingless bee, Trigona iridipennis smith with special reference to foraging behaviour and melissopalynology at Dharwad, Karnataka. Doctoral Dissertation, UAS , Dharwad.
  27. Rakshitha TN. Stingless bee, Tetragonula iridipennis as a pollinator in Bell pepper, Capsicum annum under protected cultivation. Res Sq. 2024;1-8.
  28. Vijayan M, Saravanan PA, Srinivasan MR. Effect of season and timings on the foraging behaviour of stingless Bee, Tetragonula iridipennis Smith (Hymenoptera: Apidae). Madras Agric J. 2018 Aug 14;105(7-9):286-90. https://doi.org/10.29321/MAJ.2018.000147
  29. Wongsa K, Duangphakdee O, Rattanawannee A. Pollination efficacy of stingless bee, Tetragonula pagdeni Schwarz (Apidae: Meliponini), on greenhouse tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum Linnaeus). PeerJ. 2023 May 5;11:e15367. https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.15367
  30. De Bruijn LL, Sommeijer MJ. Colony foraging in different species of stingless bees (Apidae, Meliponinae) and the regulation of individual nectar foraging. Insectes Soc. 1997 Mar;44:35-47. https://doi.org/10.1007/s000400050028
  31. Attigeri SG, Kandakoor SB, Kambrekar DN, Hiremath SM. Comparative pollination studies using Apis cerana indica and Tetragonula iridipennis in onion (Allium cepa L.) seed production. App Ecol Environ Res. 2024 Jan 1;22(1). http://dx.doi.org/10.15666/aeer/2201_175190
  32. Roopa AN, Eswarappa G, Sajjanar SM, Gowda G. Study on identification of pasturage sources of stingless bee (Trigona iridipennis Smith). Int J Curr Microbiol Appl Sci. 2017;6:938-43.
  33. Mythri PG, Kencharaddi RN, Venukumar S, Hanumantharaya L, Shivaprasad M, Hosagoudar GN. Foraging behaviour of stingless bee, Tetragonula iridipennis (Smith). JExp Zool India. 2023 Jan 1;26(1). https://doi.org/10.51470/jez.2023.26.1.461
  34. Bharath MP, Chinniah C, Jayaraj J, Suresh K, Balamohan TN, Vellaikumar S. Foraging activity of stingless bee, Tetragonula iridipennis smith (Hymenoptera: Apidae) during summer season in Madurai district of Tamil Nadu, India. J Pharmacogn Phytochem. 2020;9(1):1144-48.
  35. Lintu VV. Foraging behaviour of Tetragonula iridipennis (Smith) in cucumber under protected cultivation. Int J Agric Sci. 2020;12(18):10227-30.
  36. Reddy PR, Rashmi T, Verghese A. Foraging activity of Indian honey bee, Apis cerana in relation to ambient climate variables under tropical conditions. J Environ Biol. 2015 May 1;36(3):577.
  37. Hilário SD, Ribeiro MD, Imperatriz-Fonseca VL. Can climate shape flight activity patterns of Plebeia remota Hymenoptera, Apidae)?. Iheringia Sér Zool. 2012;102:269-76. https://doi.org/10.1590/S0073-47212012000300004
  38. de Figueiredo-Mecca G, Bego LR, do Nascimento FS. Foraging behavior of Scaptotrigona depilis (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Meliponini) and its relationship with temporal and abiotic factors. Sociobiology. 2013 Nov 6;60(3):267-82. https://doi.org/10.13102/sociobiology.v60i3.267-282
  39. SaaiVignesh B, Anujaa B, Manickavasagam S. Pollination efficiency and foraging activity of stingless bee (Tetragonula “iridipennis” sp. group) in open field coriander cropping. JAppl Hortic. 2024 Jan 1;26(1). https://doi.org/10.37855/jah.2024.v26i01.07
  40. Martinovski Ð, Jankulovski D, Agi? R. Analysis of onion (Allium cepa L.) seed yield components depending on the pollination method. Sel Semen. 1997;4,165-69.
  41. MacInnis G, Forrest JR. Field design can affect cross-pollination and crop yield in strawberry (Fragaria x ananassa D). Agric Ecosyst Environ. 2020 Feb 15; 289:106738. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agee.2019.106738

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.