ROLE OF APIS MELLIFERA IN MUSTARD SEED PRODUCTION

KAHKASHAN WALI¹*, SWATI GAMIT², C.B. VARMA^3
1Department of Agriculture Entomology, BA College of Agriculture, Anand Agricultural University, Anand, 388110, Gujarat, India
²Department of Agriculture Entomology, BA College of Agriculture, Anand Agricultural University, Anand, 388110, Gujarat, India
³College of Agriculture, Vaso, 387230, Anand Agricultural University, Anand, 388110, Gujarat, India
* Corresponding Author : kahkashan.wali123@gmail.com

Received : 10-01-2022     Accepted : 28-01-2022     Published : 30-01-2022
Volume : 14     Issue : 1       Pages : 11039 - 11042
Int J Agr Sci 14.1 (2022):11039-11042

Keywords : Mustard, Apis mellifera, Pollination, Floral biology, Foraging behaviour, Qualitative parameters, Quantitative parameters
Academic Editor : Marchand P. A., Divyanshu Gupta, Dr Krishna Kumar V
Conflict of Interest : None declared
Acknowledgements/Funding : Authors are thankful to Department of Agriculture Entomology, BA College of Agriculture, Anand Agricultural University, Anand, 388110, Gujarat, India. Authors are also thankful to College of Agriculture, Vaso, 387230, Anand Agricultural University, Anand, 388110, Gujarat, India
Author Contribution : All authors equally contributed

Indian mustard (Brassica juncea L.) is mainly self-pollinated crop, although 20-30% of cross pollination also occurred. Major pollinator for mustard seemed to be bees due to heavy and sticky nature of its pollen. Being a pollination service provider, bees contribute efficiently in enhancing mustard productivity through efficient pollination in an inconspicuous and silent manner. Among different honeybees, Apis mellifera plays an important role in enhancing mustard productivity quantitatively and qualitatively. As its foraging activity positively correlated with temperature and bright sunshine and observed maximum at peak flowering period indicated Apis mellifera as best performer of pollination. This phenomenon enhances the yield of mustard in terms of no. of pods per plant, pod length, no. of seeds per pod, 1000 seed weight, seed yield per plot, pod setting (%), seed germination (%), seed vigour index, and oil content (%). This study showed that mustard seed yield significantly higher in crop caged with A. mellifera as compared to pollination in absence of pollinators

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