Foraging and pollination behavior of Apis mellifera adansonii Latreille (Hymenoptera: Apidae) on Glycine max L. (Fabaceae) flowers at Maroua
Journal Title: Journal of Research in Biology - Year 2014, Vol 4, Issue 1
Abstract
To assess the impact of Apis mellifera adansonii on pod and seed yields of Glycine max, its foraging and pollinating activities were studied in Maroua, during the two season seasons (August-September 2010 and 2011). Observations were made on 51 to 17866 flowers per treatment. Treatment 1 represented by free flowers; treatment 2 bagged flowers and treatment 3 flowers visited only by A. m. adansonii. In addition, all flower visitors were recorded. The abundance of bee, duration of visits, impact of activity of A. m. adansonii on fruiting percentage, the influence of this bee on formation of pods, number of seeds in each pods and average of normal seeds (well developed) were recorded. Individuals from 28 species of insects were recorded on the flowers of G. max, after two years of observations. Apis mellifera adansonii with 23.18% of 954 visits was the most frequent, followed by Polyrachis sp. 1 (14.77%), Macronomia vulpina (14.22%), Lipotriches collaris (11.07%). This honey bee intensely and exclusively foraged for nectar. The mean foraging speed was 12.56 ± 5.79 flowers per minute. Flowers visited by insects had higher fruiting rate compared with the others while those bagged had the lowest. Apis mellifera adansonii foraging resulted to a significant increment in fruiting rate by 14.14 and 11.98%, as well as the number of seeds per pod by 36.95 and 35.65%, and the percentage of normal seeds by 32.61 and 29.26% respectively in 2010 and 2011. The installation of A. m. adansonii colonies in G. max plantations is recommended to improve pod and seeds production of this species.
Authors and Affiliations
Fernand-Nestor Tchuenguem Fohouo, Dounia .
Keywords
Related Articles
- EP ID EP567008
- DOI -
- Views 61
- Downloads 0
A comparative study of fish population in Temengor Reservoir and Bersia Reservoir, Perak, Malaysia
A study on fish diversity and community of two reservoirs in Hulu Gerik was carried out from August 2009 to December 2009. The two selected reservoirs were Temengor Reservoir and Bersia Reservoir. The aim of this study i...
Saprobic status and Bioindicators of the river Sutlej
Saprobic status and bioindicators of river Sutlej was conducted at (S1) Ropar Headworks, (S2) downstream after the confluence with BudhaNallah, (S3) Harike before the confluence with river Beas, (S4) Harike before the co...
Proline accumulation patterns with relation to surface soil moisture in Mollugo cerviana (linn.) Ser. - a small-sized medicinal herb from the Indian arid zone
The present work deals with the proline accumulation in Mollugo cerviana, a drought escaping xerophytes from two different sites during July to October 2012-14 in arid conditions of Churu region. The Indian arid zone pri...
In vitro multiplication of the endangered plant species, Exacum bicolor Roxb
To conserve endangered medicinal plant species, Exacum bicolor Roxb. (Gentianaceae), an efficient micropropagation protocol was developed by using nodal segments for axillary shoot proliferation. Higher multiplication ra...
Studies on the reproductive biology and seed biology of Aconitum nagarum Stapf: a threatened medicinal plant of North East India
Present study was undertaken to study the reproductive behaviours and seed biology of Aconitum nagarum. As per the present study, the species starts flowering from october first week onwards. The flowers are blue in colo...