Effect of managed pollination on apple production in dry temperate regions of Western Himalayas

These studies have been undertaken in different orchards at two locations in Kinnaur district of Himachal Pradesh in order to assess the value of pollination in apple orchards. These studies revealed that the fruit set was significantly higher in orchards having honey bees and honey bees plus pollen dispenser than natural pollinated orchards. Also, a significant reduction in fruit drop was observed in the former set of experiments over the latter. The qualitative characters viz., weight and length of apple fruits was also significantly improved, whereas, differences in the breadth of apple fruits were non-significant in different set of experiments. So, these studies, suggest the significant and vital role of managed bee pollination in enhancing the production and improvement in quality of apple fruits.