Department of Entomology & Agricultural Zoology, Rajendra Agricultural University, Bihar, Pusa, Samastipur-848 124 (India).
The sugar concentration in the nectar of four plant species, viz., harpatia, Eupatorium sp.; pastulata, Portulaca sp.; chilli, Capsicum Chinensis; and tamato, Lycopersicum esculentum was determined at 3-day intervals from May 23 to June 10 during 1992 and 1993. The concentration of sugar in the nectar of harpatia was maximum (9.15%) followed by tomato (8.78%), chilli (6.69%). The lowest (4.17%) was recorded in pastulata. The concentration of sugar in the nectar on different dates during flowering periods also showed significant differences. The highest sugar concentration (8.29%) was recorded on June 4 and the lowest (6.41%) on May 29. This was, perhaps, due to temperature as there was significant correlation (r = 0.99) between sugar concentration and dates of flowering. However, the plant species was more important than the dates of flowering in respect of sugar concentration in the nector.
