Effect of bee attractants and mode of pollination on the yield parameters of mustard using Apis mellifera L colonies

Among the different bee attractants evaluated, the effectiveness of the treatment bee-Q @ 1.25 % was found to be superior in attracting more bees followed by, jaggery solution @ 10%. The lowest number of bees were attracted in the plots sprayed with coconut water @10%, except open pollination without any treatment spray. The highest no. of siliquae/ plant, siliquae length, no. of seeds/ siliquae, no. of seeds/ plant, seed yield/ plant and 1000 seeds weight were observed in the plot treated with bee-Q @ 1.25 % spray with 209.17 siliquae/ plant, 4.41 cm, 15.70 seeds/ siliquae, 3198.63 seeds/ plant, 13.78g/ plant and 3.35g, respectively. However, the lowest no. of siliquae/ plant, siliquae length, no. of seeds/ siliquae, no. of seeds/ plant, seed yield/ plant and 1000 seeds weight were observed in the plot treated with coconut water @ 10 % spray with 167.33 siliquae/ plant, 3.71 cm, 13.04 seeds/ siliquae, 2176.47 seeds/ plant, 10.32g/ plant and 3.10g, respectively. The highly significant results were obtained in the plots with open pollination with treatments spray which was followed by the plots with open pollination without treatment sprays, plots caged with Apis mellifera L. colonies and the least significant results were obtained in the plot caged without insect pollinators.