Pollination efficacy of honeybee (Apis mellifera) influencing litchi fruit production

Abstract

Present studies were conducted at local litchi orchards in Muzaffarpur, Bihar, from flowering (March) to harvesting (May) of litchi, during 2023. To understand the impact of wild pollinators and Apis mellifera on pollination and fruit setting of litchi, different experimental pollination treatment were used to quantify qualitative and quantitative characters of litchi. Decline in density of female flower to mature fruit with some variation in all treatments except nylon-bagged inflorescence that produces only 0-2 fruits with minimal qualitative characteristics, per inflorescence were recorded. Fruit setting along with other qualitative character such as fruit weight, peel weight, pulp weight, pH and TSS were higher (20.55 g, 2.19 g, 15.28 g, 4.76 and 22.43 oBrix respectively) in open pollination system with A. mellifera under litchi tree. Based on recorded data productivity can be sequence as pollination treatment with A. mellifera hive under the tree > closed pollination treatment with A. mellifera hive inside nylon cage > open pollination in A. mellifera hive were 500 meter apart > open natural pollination without A. mellifera hive and at last bagged inflorescence. Resultant data show gradual decrease in fruit setting as the hive move away from experimental inflorescence. The result clearly indicate the pollination efficiency of A. mellifera.