Study the abundance of insect pollinators/visitors in rapeseed-mustard (Brassica juncea L.)

Abstract

The present investigation entitled “Impact of honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) pollination in mustard (Brassica campestris var. toria) to the enhancement of seed yield” in randomized block design was recorded at Student Instructional Farm of N.D.U.A.T, Kumarganj, Faizabad during Rabi 2016-17. The result revealed that the insects of order-Hymenoptera namely; Apis dorsata, Apis mellifera, T. irridipennis were the major floral visitors belonging to family Apidae. The insects among this apidae family, Apis dorsata and A. mellifera were the most frequent visitors. The abundance of insect pollinators was found maximum in afternoon (3.00-4.00 PM) with 31.56 pollinators /plant/5 min. The higher number of floral visitors in the evening can be attributed of favorable meteorological parameters of afternoon. However, A. dorsata showed its maximum visit on flowers in afternoon with respect to other pollinators. The maximum pod setting 76.24 pod/plant and 83.50 percent seed setting were recorded in open-pollination followed by bee-pollination with 71.20 pod/plant and 78.25 percent seed setting and minimum pod setting 69.12 pod/plant and 71.80 percent seed setting in self-pollination.