1Department of Agricultural Entomology, Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Mohanpur, Nadia - 741 252, West Bengal, India
2Polytechnic of Agriculture, Acharya N.G. Ranga Agricultural University, Garikapadu - 521 175, Andhra Pradesh, India
3Department of Agronomy, AAU, Jorhat - 785 013, Assam, India
Department of Entomology, Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat - 785 013, Assam, India
*Corresponding authors’ E-mail : shimantini.borkataki@aau.ac.in
Online Published on 06 December, 2023.
A total of 18 insect species belonging to 4 insect orders viz., Hymenoptera (7), Lepidoptera (7), Diptera (2) and Coleoptera (2) were recorded as pollinators of cucumber flower. Among them hymenopteran group of insects (81.49%) were most prominent and Apis cerana indica (26.57%) was the most predominant flower visitor followed by Apis dorsata (19.40%) and Tetragonula iridipennis (10.75%) while Aulacophora faveicollis (0.90%) and Coccinella septempunctata (0.60%) showed lowest relative abundance. Foraging dynamics of bees revealed that the peak period of activity was observed during 10.00 hours at morning which gradually decreased after morning hours. Population in terms of no. of individuals/5 min/m2 of Apis cerana indica (1.67 ± 0.34) as pollinator was recorded highest followed by Halictus sp. (1.21 ± 0.30) and Tetragonula iridipennis (1.09 ± 0.21). Flower visitation rate (No. of flower visit/min.) was also found maximum in case of Apis cerana indica (3.97 ± 0.97) followed by Apis dorsata (3.04 ± 0.92) and Tetragonula iridipennis (2.75 ± 0.63).
Cucumis sativa, Diversity, Foraging dynamics, Pollination, Relative abundance
