Dynamics of climate and pollinator species influencing litchi (Litchi chinensis) in India

Abstract

The studies on pollinator complex and their impact on fruit set, yield and quality characters of litchi (Litchi chinensis Sonn.) cv Shahi with reference to Apis mellifera L. was carried at ICAR-NRC on Litchi, Muzaffarpur (Bihar) India, during 2014-15. The 20 pollinator species under 23 genera of 8 families belonging to orders Diptera, Hymenoptera and Coleoptera were recorded. Honey bee species Apis dorsata F; Apis mellifera L; Apis cerana F. and Apis florae F. were the most important and efficient pollinators of litchi flowers and constitutes more than 65% of the total pollinators. Other than Apis genera important pollinators were Episyrphus balteatus, Melipona sp, Syrpus sp, Erisyrphus sp, etc. The activity of A. Mellifera visiting the flowers was highest (9.66 foragers/panicle/5 min). Correlation and regression analysis revealed that all honey bee species differed in their responses to temperature, light intensity and solar radiation, the three most important factors in foraging behavior. The yield was significantly higher in completely open pollinated plant as compared to A. mellifera pollinated plant. The qualitative and quantitative parameters, viz. fruit size, fruit weight, the maximum seed weight, seed size and TSS were found higher with open pollinated plants followed by A. Mellifera pollination.