Study on the Effect of Bee Attractants on the Giant Honey Bee, Apis dorsata and their Effect on Niger [Guizotia abyssinica (L.f.) Cass] Seed Yield

Abstract

The study was conducted at the experimental farm of the PC Unit Sesame and Niger, CoA, Jawaharlal Nehru Krishi Vishwa Vidyalaya, located in Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, during the Kharif season of 2022. The primary objective of the experiment was to assess the influence of bee attractants on the attraction of Apis dorsata (giant honey bees) and their subsequent impact on the seed yield of niger crop. The experiment was designed using a Randomized Block Design (RBD) with nine treatments and three replications. This experimental setup allows for systematic testing of the effects of different bee attractants on both bee behaviour and crop yield while controlling for potential sources of variation. By utilizing this design, researchers can obtain reliable data on the efficacy of various bee attractants in enhancing pollination and improving seed yield in niger crops. Treatment used T1: Flower extract of Madhuca longifolia 10%, T2: Juice of Sachharum officinarum 10%, T3: Jaggery solution 10%, T4: Honey solution 10%, T5: Fruit extract of Foenix dactylifera 10%, T6: Sugar solution 10%, T7: Rose water (marketed) 10%, T8: Water spray and T9: Control. The results showed that the both at 10% and 50% flowering stage Apis dorsata visit was numerically the highest with flower extract of mahua, Madhuca longifolia 10% with 15.67 and 10.33 Apis dorsata/m2/5min, respectively. This was followed by fruit extract of date palm, F. dactylifera spray with 14.92 and 9.75 Apis dorsata/m2/5min, respectively. The population of Apis dorsata was received from the controlled condition 2.67 and 3.25 Apis dorsata/m2/5min at 10% and 50% flowering stage, respectively. This was followed by water spray 5.08 and 5.16 Apis dorsata/m2/5min at 10% and 50% flowering stage, respectively. The foliar spray of flower extract of M. longifolia and fruit extract of F. dactylifera 10% were found significantly superior over others in respect to record higher seed yield and recorded 6.96 q and 6.90 q/ha seed yield, respectively.