Research finds stingless bees enhance crop yield, high quality

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| Photograph Credit score: AP

GUWAHATI

A brand new research has proven that stingless bees, which produce a high-value honey with a definite flavour, can enhance the yield and high quality of crops.

Researchers from Nagaland College’s Division of Entomology recognized Tetragonula iridipennis and Lepidotrigona arcifera, two species of stingless bees, as essentially the most environment friendly amongst 11 insect varieties recorded foraging on chilli booms within the open “beneath low hill situations”.

The yield and high quality of chilli and different crops elevated a number of occasions when these stingless bees have been launched as pollinators beneath greenhouse situations, the research printed within the newest concern of the Worldwide Journal of Farm Sciences mentioned.

Entomologists Avinash Chauhan and Imtinaro L. of the college based mostly in Nagaland’s Lumami are the authors of the research. Their analysis over 10 years additionally yielded strategies to minimise losses whereas rearing stingless bees for high quality honey manufacturing free from impurities.

“Stingless bees can be utilized for pollination with out concern of being stung. They’re recognized for his or her in style medicinal honey and pollination potential, which paves the best way formulation of crop pollination calendars to profit all stakeholders. The honey produced by the bees in the course of the experiments additionally supplied further earnings in addition to good crop manufacturing,” Dr Chauhan mentioned.

Of the 11 insect species noticed on chilli crops “grown as per good agricultural practices”, syrphid flies, houseflies, and stingless bees have been discovered to have foraged essentially the most. The yield and high quality parameters beneath completely different modes of pollination revealed that bees have been superior pollinators.

The researchers discovered that the fruit set in stingless bee-pollinated king chilli (Capsicum chinense) elevated to 29.46% over the non-pollinated crop (21% yield). Equally, the fruit set in chilli (Capsicum annuum) elevated by 7.42% over the non-pollinated crop.

The seed weight, an indicator of viability or germination, additionally elevated by 60.47% when pollinated by the stingless bees.

“We are actually working to enhance the beekeeping rearing methods and promote scientific beekeeping with honey bees and stingless bees for higher honey manufacturing and pollination of crops. The main focus can be to lift consciousness among the many folks for the conservation of different wild honey bees and pollinators,” Dr Chauhan mentioned.

The opposite crops used for the stingless bee pollination take a look at included cucumber, ash gourd, watermelon, tomato, pumpkin, brinjal, and dragon fruit. The potential of those bees as pollinators for fruits reminiscent of mango, guava, gooseberry, and Indian jujube was additionally noticed and recorded.

Stingless bees are reported primarily from the northeastern, japanese, and southern Indian States. Within the northeast, these bees are reared historically in homestead apiaries.