Diversity of Insect Pollinators and their Impact on Apple Malus domestica Borkh Production with Special Reference to Apis cerana F

Abstract

The studies were conducted to determine the insect pollinators visiting apple flowers, there foraging behaviour in relation to weather parameters and impact of insect pollination on qualitative and quantitative parameters of apple with special reference to Apis cerana F. The studies revealed that Apple flowers attracted insects belonging to five orders which included Hymenoptera, Diptera, Lepidoptera, Coleoptera and Thysanoptera. Of all the orders, insects belonging to order Hymenoptera were most abundant. They included honey bee Apis mellifera, Apis cerana, bumble bees Bombus spp. Anthophoride Xylocopa fenestrata, X. aestuans, X. pubescens, X. valga, Halictidae Halictus spp.,Nomia spp., Lasiogllosum spp.,Ceratina spp., Melissodes spp., Colletidae Colleteseous, vespidae Vespa orientalis, V. Cincta, V. Mandarinia, Polistes hebraeus, megachilidae Osmia spp., Andrenidae Andrena flaviceps, Formicide Camponotus compressus. Of these entire insect visitors honeybee were most abundant and comprised of more than 48 % of the total flower visitors. newline The relative abundance of honey bees varied during different days of observation on apple flowers. Apis mellifera was most abundant on all days of observations. Initially population was low which increased with flowering intensity and maximum population was obtained on 24th of April 2019. Similarly in case of Apis cerana population was low during initial days of observation which increased subsequently to maximum on 24th of April 2019. In case of bumble bees and other insect visitors population increased with increase in intensity of bloom. In general the abundance of honeybees, bumble bees and other visitors was in the order: Apis melliferagtApis ceranagt other spp.gtBombus spp. During 2020, the relative abundance of honey bees varied during different days of observation on apple flowers. In cv. Red delicious also similar pattern was observed with slight variations in overall composition of bee species. In this cultivar also, number of insect visitors were lees during initial