Pollinator Community of Sunflower (Helianthus annus L.) and its Role in Crop Reproductive Success

Muhammad1,2, Wali and Saeed3, Shafqat and Ahmad4, Ammad and Yasir Ishfaq5, Muhammad and Mahtab Anjum6, Muhammad (2021) Pollinator Community of Sunflower (Helianthus annus L.) and its Role in Crop Reproductive Success. Asian Journal of Agriculture and Biology, 2.

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Abstract

A study was carried out to identify the pollinator community and its role in pollination of sunflower at the research farm of Bahauddin Zakariya University, Multan, Pakistan. The community of pollinators was composed of 14 insect species including eight bee species (Hymenoptera), four fly species (Diptera) and two butterfly species (Lepidoptera). Bees were the most abundant floral visitors. Apis dorsata Fabricius, Xylocopa sp and Megachile sp. were the most abundant among the bees with the highest visitation frequencies i.e. 1.33, 0.07 and 0.06 individuals per head per minute, respectively. The abundant flies included Eristalinus aeneus Scopoli and E. arvorum Linnaeus. The peak visitation activity of pollinators was recorded between 08:00 to 10:00 hrs. Although there was no significant difference in number of seeds per head produced in insect pollinated (open) as compared with, without insect pollinated (caged) heads. However, insect pollination significantly increased the number of healthy seeds, 100 seed weight and germination percentage. As A. dorsata Fabricius was the major pollinator of sunflower, future studies should focus on its conservation for better crop production.

Item Type: Article
Subjects: Souths Book > Biological Science
Depositing User: Unnamed user with email support@southsbook.com
Date Deposited: 15 Apr 2023 09:42
Last Modified: 06 Jul 2024 08:04
URI: http://research.europeanlibrarypress.com/id/eprint/600

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