CONSERVATION OF BEE POLLINATORS FOR POLLINATION OF CROPS - WHY & HOW ? Dr R C Sihag, Ex-Dean College of Basic Sciences & Humanities CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar
May 20, 2015
CONSERVATION OF BEE POLLINATORS FOR
POLLINATION OF CROPS - WHY & HOW ?
Dr R C Sihag, Ex-Dean College of Basic Sciences & Humanities
CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar
Structure of a typical flower
Process of fertilization
Selfing vs. Out Crossing
Floral and Pollinator Evolution
Actinomorphy Cantharophily
Zygomorphy Melittophily
SP NO
REPRODUCTIVE BARRIERS IN PLANTS
1. Self-incompatibility
CP YES
SEED SET
NO seeds
2. PROTARDRY / PROTOGYNY
MATURE Not Mature/Not receptive
NOT MATURE RECEPTIVE
NO seeds
SP
SP ♀♂
♂ ♀
3. Unisexuality
i) FLOWERES ARE UNISEXUAL
e.g. CUCURBITS
ii) PLANTS ARE UNISEXUAL
e.g. PAPAYA
4. Hetrostyly :
Male and Female parts at different heights
POLLINATION
TWO COMPONENTS
POLLINATOR PLANT
POLLINATOR LEVEL PLANT LEVEL
ENVIRONMENTAL FACTORS
Dynamic component (Actor) Stationary Component (Stage)
POLLINATING AGENTS
Abiotic Biotic
Gravity Water movement Air movement Insects Birds Mammals(Bats)
(Geophily) (Hydrophily) (Anemophily) (Entomophily) (Ornithophily) (Chiropterophily)
EFFECTIVITY
OF
WATER MOVEMENT & GRAVITY
Very Low and Limited
EFFECTIVITY OF ANEMOPHILY
Pe = m x as/ af
where
Pe = Pollen effectivity
m = total pollen mass
as = stigmatic surface area
af = total filtration area
for 1 sq mm of stigmatic surface area = 1 million pollen grains in 1 sq meter area
required
Effectivity of Zoophily
Very high
Bees as Pollinators (Melittophily)
1 Dependence on flowers for brood food (nectar and pollen)
2 Morphological and Anatomical adaptations
1. OILSEED CROPS1. Toria SI , CP
2. Brown Sarson SI, CP
3. Taramira SI, CP
4. Sunflower SI, CP
5. Safflower SC, CP
6. Castor SC, CP
2. VEGETABLE CROPS1. Radish SI, CP
2. Turnip SI, CP
3. Cauliflower SI, CP
4. Carrot PT, CP
5. Cucurbits US, CP
6. Tomato SC, CP
7. Brinjal SC, CP
8. Bhindi SC, CP
3. HORTICULTURAL CROPS
1. APPLE SI, CP
2. PEACH SI, CP
3. PEAR SI, CP
4. PLUM SI, CP
5. GAUVA Partial SI, CP
6. GRAPES Partial SI, PT, CP
7. CITRUS SI,SC,CP
8.JUJUBE PT, CP
4. CONDIMENTS/SPICES ETC.
1. CORIANDER PT,CP
2. CARDAMOM SC, RP
3. CUMIN PT, CP
4. FENNEL PT, CP
5. TEA SI, CP
6. COFFE SI, CP
5. PULSES
SELF-POLLINATED ; CROSS POLLINATION
INCREASES SEED YIELD.
6. FIBER CROPS
1. COTTON SC, CP
2. HEMP SC, CP
7. FORAGE CROPS
1. ALFALFA SC, CP
2. BERSEEM SI, CP
STATUS
SI = > 50 %
PT/PG = > 15 %
US = 5 %
HS = FEW
Importance of Bees to Crops
Increase
1. The quality of seeds/fruits
2. The quantity of seeds/fruits
BEES, THEIR FEEDING AND NESTING HABITS
S.No Name of bee Feeding Habits
Nesting Habits
1. Honeybees
i) Apis mellifera Polylectic Cavity dweller
ii) A. cerana Polylectic Cavity dweller
iii) A. dorsata Polylectic Open
iv) A. florea Polylectic Semi-dark
2. Stingless Honeybees
Polylectic Cavity dweller
3. Bumble bees Polylectic Deserted nests of voles/rats
4. Other Non-Apis bees
i) Nomia melanderi Alfalfa Alkaline soil
ii) Megachile rotundata Alfalfa Leaf cutter
S.No Name of bee Feeding Habits
Nesting Habits
iii) M. nana Alfalfa Leaf cutter
iv) Chalicodoma rubripes
Alfalfa Wet mud
v) C. lanata Pigeonpea Leaf mud
vi) M. bicolor Pigeonpea Leaf cutter
vii) Eumegachile pugnata
Sunflower leaf cutter
Leaf cutter
viii) C. mucorea Alfalfa Leaf cutter
ix) Osmia lignaria propinqua
Apple Wood
x) O. cornuta Almond Wood
xi) O. cornifrons Oligolectic Wood
xii) O. coerulescens Red clover Wood
xiii) Xylocopa spp. Polylectic Wood/Hollow pithy stem
A bumble bee pollinating a composit flower
Apis florea pollinating Brassica flowers
Honeybees pollinating
Onion flowers
Apis florea pollinating Carrot flowers
Apis mellifera pollinating Eruca sativa flowers
Pollinators of Fennel
Female and Male flowers of Cucurbits (Cucumber, Wanga &
Tinda)
Apis mellifera pollinating a Cucurbit flower
Megachilid bee and nest cells
Nesting devices for Solitary bees
Megachilid artificial nests
Nests of Chalicodoma lanata
Nests of Chalicodoma rubripes
Nests of Chalicodoma cephalotes
Nests of Megachile nana
Hutment for culturing solitary bees
Xylocopa hive
A nest of Stingless honeybee
A hive of Stingless honeybee
Apis florea kept in a hive
Apis florea colony being hived
Apis dorsata colonies
Conservation of Apis dorsata
Apis mellifera being utilized for pollination of Taramira crop
Crops attacked by disease and Pests Need
Pesticides Cause
Poisoning of the Environment
Method of application is important
Order of hazard is :Aerial application >
Mechanical application >Hand application
Formulation Hazards
Dust > Liquid
Poisoning occurs due to
1. Direct exposures 2. Drift of pesticides 3.Contamination of pollen
& nectar
Poisoning causes
Large scale bee kills
1. Crop failures 2. Low honey yield
Immediate effect of bee kills
Safety of bees in agro- environment
1. Use of Repellents2. Use of safer pesticides3. Safe application time of pesticides 4. Safe time lag for re-entry of the bees
CONCLUSION
Bees PlantsInterdependent
Conservation
of bees
Higher Crop Yield
Means