AICRP (Honey Bees & Pollinators), School of Agricultural Sciences and Rural Development, Nagaland University, Medziphema, Nagaland, 797 106
*E-mail: dr.akhileshento@rediffmail.com
Online published on 3 November, 2015.
Sweet orange which bears highly attractive flowers having high sugar concentration of nectar, with heavy pollens is not adapted for wind pollination. Therefore cross-pollination is accomplished by pollinators. The highest fruit retention % (1.67± 0.08%), fruit weight (118.93± 0.36 g) and yield (8.93± 0.17 kg/plant) were recorded from open pollination and it is significantly superior over both exclusive stingless bee pollination and pollinator exclusion. All the treatments were at par as regards fruit TSS, dry matter and ash %. Diverse pollinators influence fruit retention, fruit weight and productivity in comparison to single pollinator and pollinator exclusion. Nevertheless, single pollinator also enhances the productivity in comparison to pollinator exclusion.
Sweet orange, fruit productivity, fruit quality, fruit retention, pollinator exclusion
