RELATIVE ABUNDANCE OF INSECT POLLINATORS AND POLLINATING EFFICIENCY OF INDIAN HONEYBEE (APIS CERANA F.) ON CAMPHOR BASIL (OCIMUM KILIMANDSCHARICUM GUERKE)

摘要

Insect pollinators, relative abundance and pollinating efficiency of Indian honeybee on camphor basil was studied during Feb-April 2002 in UAS, GKVK, Bangalore. Camphor basil is visited by a number of pollinating insects because of its elongate racemose cymes with closely whorled flowers that provide a good source of nectar and pollen for longer period. Twenty different species of insects visited the crop during flowering. The indigenous honeybee. Apis cerana E was predominant (14.47 bees/plant/5min)followed by A. florea (7.92 bees/plant/5min), A. dot-sola (7.48 bees/plant/5min), Trigona iridipennis (3.46 bees/plant/5min) and least by Dipterans (1.64/plant/5min). A. dorsata and A. florea foraged one hour later than A. cerana and Trigona iridipennis. Percent filled seeds, seeds per fruit, seeds per inflorescence and test weight were maximum in open pollinated plot followed by A. cerana pollinated plot and lowest in control plot.