Investigating the impact of supplementary pollination methods on seed production and yield in Lucerne (Medicago sativa L.)

Abstract

A study was carried out at the Indian Grassland and Fodder Research Institute, Southern Regional Research Station and at UAS Campus, Dharwad, over two consecutive rabi-summer seasons. The aim was to investigate the impact of supplementary pollination techniques on the seed setting and yield of lucerne (Medicago sativa L.) Cv. RL-88. The experiment was set up using a randomized block design with three replications, comprising seven different treatments. Analysis of data collected over the two years indicated that T6 (which involved the application of insect attractants during various flowering periods) resulted in a significantly higher total number of pods per raceme (14.62), number of filled pods per raceme (9.47), total number of pods per plant (291.34), number of filled pods per plant (172.67), number of seeds per pod (7.34), 1000 seed weight (3.29 g), pod set (62.10 %), seed set (63.45 %), seed yield per plant (3.77 g), seed yield per plot (358.27 g), seed yield per hectare (299.51 kg). The study reveals that effective pollination management significantly influences seed setting and seed quality in crop production. Notably, spraying insect attractants during flowering leads to higher seed setting and yield compared to other methods. This underscores the vital role of insect pollinators in ensuring successful fertilization and seed development. By attracting more pollinators to the crops, these attractants improve pollination efficiency, resulting in increased seed setting rates and ultimately greater seed yield. The findings emphasize the importance of employing efficient pollination strategies, like insect attractants, to enhance seed setting and overall productivity in agricultural systems.