Estimation of Honeybees (Apis mellifera l.) impact in pollination of cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) crops for yield enhancement and seed quality

Abstract

To regulate the reaction of honeybee (Apis mellifera L.) pollinator on cucumber  seed yield, experimental trials were  demonstrated at BARI, Chakwal, in complete randomized block design by using different method of comparison ( open pollinated  and caged method) to determine the contribution of honeybees in pollination of cucumber  crop. Seven parameters were assessed including  i. Pollinator diversity  (The result revealed that maximum visitation frequency of pollinator was carried out by  Apis mellifera  ( 71.6 % ) and minimum (6.7%) by Dipteran Episyrphus balteatus ), ii. Pollinators density (the results showed that cucumber crop was visited by five insect species of three orders of Hymenoptera, Diptera and Coleopteran at three different time intervals 1000-1100 hrs, 1200-1300 hrs, 144-1500 hrs respectively. Average visit of insects on cucumber flower per 5 minutes interval per plant contributed by Apis mellifera 6.8, 5.4, 3.7 respectively was found to be significantly most abundant and least contribution of syrphus beetle was observed 0.45, 0.68 and 0.76 respectively. iii. Flower attractiveness i.e. results revealed that Insects’ visitor occurrence was unswervingly linked to the advancement of C. sativa blooming. The association of C. sativa flowers and accepted forger bees amount during the flowering retro was determined progressive. (the profusion of nutrition properties offered by C. sativus improved the flower attraction and subsequently bee fertilization lead to the high seed productivity), iv. Pollination efficacy determine on the basis of Yield parameters including a-mean weight of fruits b-length of fruit (cm), c-fruit diameter(cm), d-seed weight and e-no. of seed per fruit indicated that (Pollination efficacy by all pollinators in open pollinated method is significantly higher than caged method) that leads to higher yield.