CONSERVATION OF BEE POLLINATORS FOR

POLLINATION OF CROPS - WHY & HOW ?

Dr R C Sihag, Ex-Dean College of Basic Sciences & Humanities

CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar

Structure of a typical flower

Process of fertilization

Selfing vs. Out Crossing

Floral and Pollinator Evolution

Actinomorphy Cantharophily

Zygomorphy Melittophily

SP NO

REPRODUCTIVE BARRIERS IN PLANTS

1. Self-incompatibility

CP YES

SEED SET

NO seeds

2. PROTARDRY / PROTOGYNY

MATURE Not Mature/Not receptive

NOT MATURE RECEPTIVE

NO seeds

SP

SP ♀♂

♂ ♀

3. Unisexuality

i) FLOWERES ARE UNISEXUAL

e.g. CUCURBITS

ii) PLANTS ARE UNISEXUAL

e.g. PAPAYA

4. Hetrostyly :

Male and Female parts at different heights

POLLINATION

TWO COMPONENTS

POLLINATOR PLANT

POLLINATOR LEVEL PLANT LEVEL

ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS

Dynamic component (Actor) Stationary Component (Stage)

POLLINATING AGENTS

Abiotic Biotic

Gravity Water movement Air movement Insects Birds Mammals(Bats)

(Geophily) (Hydrophily) (Anemophily) (Entomophily) (Ornithophily) (Chiropterophily)

EFFECTIVITY

OF

WATER MOVEMENT & GRAVITY

Very Low and Limited

EFFECTIVITY OF ANEMOPHILY

Pe = m x as/ af

where

Pe = Pollen effectivity

m = total pollen mass

as = stigmatic surface area

af = total filtration area

for 1 sq mm of stigmatic surface area = 1 million pollen grains in 1 sq meter area

required

Effectivity of Zoophily

Very high

Bees as Pollinators (Melittophily)

1 Dependence on flowers for brood food (nectar and pollen)

2 Morphological and Anatomical adaptations

1. OILSEED CROPS1. Toria SI , CP

2. Brown Sarson SI, CP

3. Taramira SI, CP

4. Sunflower SI, CP

5. Safflower SC, CP

6. Castor SC, CP

2. VEGETABLE CROPS1. Radish SI, CP

2. Turnip SI, CP

3. Cauliflower SI, CP

4. Carrot PT, CP

5. Cucurbits US, CP

6. Tomato SC, CP

7. Brinjal SC, CP

8. Bhindi SC, CP

3. HORTICULTURAL CROPS

1. APPLE SI, CP

2. PEACH SI, CP

3. PEAR SI, CP

4. PLUM SI, CP

5. GAUVA Partial SI, CP

6. GRAPES Partial SI, PT, CP

7. CITRUS SI,SC,CP

8.JUJUBE PT, CP

4. CONDIMENTS/SPICES ETC.

1. CORIANDER PT,CP

2. CARDAMOM SC, RP

3. CUMIN PT, CP

4. FENNEL PT, CP

5. TEA SI, CP

6. COFFE SI, CP

5. PULSES

SELF-POLLINATED ; CROSS POLLINATION

INCREASES SEED YIELD.

6. FIBER CROPS

1. COTTON SC, CP

2. HEMP SC, CP

7. FORAGE CROPS

1. ALFALFA SC, CP

2. BERSEEM SI, CP

STATUS

SI = > 50 %

PT/PG = > 15 %

US = 5 %

HS = FEW

Importance of Bees to Crops

Increase

1. The quality of seeds/fruits

2. The quantity of seeds/fruits

BEES, THEIR FEEDING AND NESTING HABITS

S.No Name of bee Feeding Habits

Nesting Habits

1. Honeybees

i) Apis mellifera Polylectic Cavity dweller

ii) A. cerana Polylectic Cavity dweller

iii) A. dorsata Polylectic Open

iv) A. florea Polylectic Semi-dark

2. Stingless Honeybees

Polylectic Cavity dweller

3. Bumble bees Polylectic Deserted nests of voles/rats

4. Other Non-Apis bees

i) Nomia melanderi Alfalfa Alkaline soil

ii) Megachile rotundata Alfalfa Leaf cutter

S.No Name of bee Feeding Habits

Nesting Habits

iii) M. nana Alfalfa Leaf cutter

iv) Chalicodoma rubripes

Alfalfa Wet mud

v) C. lanata Pigeonpea Leaf mud

vi) M. bicolor Pigeonpea Leaf cutter

vii) Eumegachile pugnata

Sunflower leaf cutter

Leaf cutter

viii) C. mucorea Alfalfa Leaf cutter

ix) Osmia lignaria propinqua

Apple Wood

x) O. cornuta Almond Wood

xi) O. cornifrons Oligolectic Wood

xii) O. coerulescens Red clover Wood

xiii) Xylocopa spp. Polylectic Wood/Hollow pithy stem

A bumble bee pollinating a composit flower

Apis florea pollinating Brassica flowers

Honeybees pollinating

Onion flowers

Apis florea pollinating Carrot flowers

Apis mellifera pollinating Eruca sativa flowers

Pollinators of Fennel

Female and Male flowers of Cucurbits (Cucumber, Wanga &

Tinda)

Apis mellifera pollinating a Cucurbit flower

Megachilid bee and nest cells

Nesting devices for Solitary bees

Megachilid artificial nests

Nests of Chalicodoma lanata

Nests of Chalicodoma rubripes

Nests of Chalicodoma cephalotes

Nests of Megachile nana

Hutment for culturing solitary bees

Xylocopa hive

A nest of Stingless honeybee

A hive of Stingless honeybee

Apis florea kept in a hive

Apis florea colony being hived

Apis dorsata colonies

Conservation of Apis dorsata

Apis mellifera being utilized for pollination of Taramira crop

Crops attacked by disease and Pests Need

Pesticides Cause

Poisoning of the Environment

Method of application is important

Order of hazard is :Aerial application >

Mechanical application >Hand application

Formulation Hazards

Dust > Liquid

Poisoning occurs due to

1. Direct exposures 2. Drift of pesticides 3.Contamination of pollen

& nectar

Poisoning causes

Large scale bee kills

1. Crop failures 2. Low honey yield

Immediate effect of bee kills

Safety of bees in agro- environment

1. Use of Repellents2. Use of safer pesticides3. Safe application time of pesticides 4. Safe time lag for re-entry of the bees

CONCLUSION

Bees PlantsInterdependent

Conservation

of bees

Higher Crop Yield

Means