IMPACT OF HONEYBEE POLLINATION ON QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE PARAMETERS OF APPLE (VAR., RED DELICIOUS) IN RELATION TO POLLINIZER PROPORTION

Abstract

Research was carried out for two consecutive years to find out the effect of pollinators vis-a-vis., pollinizer ratio on qualitative and quantitative parameters of apple in Kashmir. Three colonies of Apis mellifera L. were kept in two different orchards with pollinizer ratio of 5% and 10%. Data yielded revealed that controlled release of three hive units in orchard with 10 per cent pollinizer ratio showed significantly better results both quantitatively; fruit set (70.07%), (fruit drop (10.49 %), seed number (9.373±0.084), fruit yield (303.7 kg/tree) and qualitatively; fruit size (78.733±0.255mm), fruit diameter (77.732±0.687 mm), fruit weight (237.285±5.702 g), fruit volume (250.476±3.904 ml) and fruit colour (98.95%) as compared to naturally pollinated orchards with 10% pollinizer proportion. Similarly, controlled release with three hives in orchard with 5 % pollinizer proportion also gives a standard quality fruit (size; 72.744±0.792mm and diameter; 72.595±0.184mm) with a good commercially profitable yield (256 kg/tree) over naturally pollinated orchard (5% pollinizer proportion). The studies revealed that in conventional orchards with inadequate pollinizer ratio, growers can get good benefits from controlled release of three hives, which can significantly boost their production and improve the quality of fruit as well.