POLLINATORS AND THEIR ROLE IN CROSS POLLINATION OF GUAVA, MANGO, CHOW-CHOW, GHERKIN, NIGER, SUNFLOWER, SESAMUM AND BASIL

摘要

Pollination studies conducted on Guava, Mango, Chow-chow. Gherkin, Niger, Sunflower, Sesamum and Basil during 1999-2002 at GKVK Campus of UAS, Bangalore indicated that seven species of insects visited guava among which honeybees registered more than 99.02 per cent. On Niger 70 per cent of the total visits was by different species of honeybees. On Mango (Var. Mallika) 18 species of insects were recorded of which dipterans were maximum. Among the honeybees, Apis florea was found frequently visiting themango flowers followed by other species of honeybees. Twenty six insect species were found visiting chow-chow among them different species of honey bees constituted more than 82 per cent. Eighteen species of insects were found visiting Sesamum of whichApis dorsata and Apis cerana comprised more than 76.3 per cent. Twenty seven species of insect pollinators were recorded on Gherkin of which the honeybees constituted more than 83 per cent. On Basil twenty species of insects were found of which the honeybees were the predominant. Among honeybees A. cerana was more common. Due to the abundant pollination by different species of honeybees an increased fruit set to an extent of 5-94 per cent in guava. 50-70.5 per cent in chow-chow, 47-69.5 per cent'in gherkin and 26-31 per cent in mango was recorded. Similarly in Sesamum, Niger, Sunflower and Basil no. of seeds per pod, the per cent seed set and filled seeds was increased by 10-13.0. 37.0-46.16, 55.0-89.02 and 42-56.0 per cent respectively.