Comparing the Efficacy of Single and Multiple Visits by Honey and Solitary Bees on Sunflower Seed Production

Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) is an important oil seed crop with a considerable acreage of cultivated hybrids in Pakistan. Sunflower crops depend on insect pollination for seed setting, as it attracts diverse pollinator fauna, mainly due to pollen and nectar availability. This study was conducte...

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Main Authors: Qasim Ali, Mudssar Ali, Fawad Zafar Ahmad Khan, Tahir Hussain Awan
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Universidade Estadual de Feira de Santana 2024-12-01
Series:Sociobiology
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Online Access:http://periodicos.uefs.br/index.php/sociobiology/article/view/10425
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author Qasim Ali
Mudssar Ali
Fawad Zafar Ahmad Khan
Tahir Hussain Awan
author_facet Qasim Ali
Mudssar Ali
Fawad Zafar Ahmad Khan
Tahir Hussain Awan
author_sort Qasim Ali
collection DOAJ
description Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) is an important oil seed crop with a considerable acreage of cultivated hybrids in Pakistan. Sunflower crops depend on insect pollination for seed setting, as it attracts diverse pollinator fauna, mainly due to pollen and nectar availability. This study was conducted in the agricultural landscape of Multan, Pakistan, to evaluate the role of native and social bees in sunflower seed production. The abundance and diversity of pollinators were assessed. Effectiveness was tested regarding foraging behavior, including visitation rate, stay time, and seed set efficacy for single and multiple visits (5, 10, 15). Additionally, various reproductive success parameters were recorded: flower head (pseudanthium) diameter, flower head weight, seed weight/flower head, and number of seed/flower head. The results showed that the relative abundance of honey bees was the highest (77%) in both years, followed by solitary bees (17%), while syrphid flies were the least abundant (6%) on sunflower. Among honey bees, Apis mellifera and A. dorsata were the most abundant in both years, followed by the solitary bee Xylocopa sp. Furthermore, in single and multiple seed set efficacy (5 and 10 visits), the solitary bee Xylocopa sp. produced the maximum seeds, followed by A. mellifera. Higher seed production could be achieved with a focused conservation plan of solitary and managed bees on sunflower.
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spelling doaj-art-186415e37fec44aebc04129d9c6b5acd2025-08-20T01:58:42ZengUniversidade Estadual de Feira de SantanaSociobiology0361-65252447-80672024-12-0171410.13102/sociobiology.v71i4.10425Comparing the Efficacy of Single and Multiple Visits by Honey and Solitary Bees on Sunflower Seed ProductionQasim Ali0Mudssar Ali1Fawad Zafar Ahmad Khan2Tahir Hussain Awan3Institute of Plant Protection, Muhammad Nawaz Shareef University of Agriculture Multan, Multan, PakistanInstitute of Plant Protection, Muhammad Nawaz Shareef University of Agriculture Multan, Multan, PakistanInstitute of Plant Protection & Department of Outreach and Continuing Education, Muhammad Nawaz Shareef University of Agriculture Multan, Multan, Pakistan Rice Research Institute, Kala Shah Kaku, Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) is an important oil seed crop with a considerable acreage of cultivated hybrids in Pakistan. Sunflower crops depend on insect pollination for seed setting, as it attracts diverse pollinator fauna, mainly due to pollen and nectar availability. This study was conducted in the agricultural landscape of Multan, Pakistan, to evaluate the role of native and social bees in sunflower seed production. The abundance and diversity of pollinators were assessed. Effectiveness was tested regarding foraging behavior, including visitation rate, stay time, and seed set efficacy for single and multiple visits (5, 10, 15). Additionally, various reproductive success parameters were recorded: flower head (pseudanthium) diameter, flower head weight, seed weight/flower head, and number of seed/flower head. The results showed that the relative abundance of honey bees was the highest (77%) in both years, followed by solitary bees (17%), while syrphid flies were the least abundant (6%) on sunflower. Among honey bees, Apis mellifera and A. dorsata were the most abundant in both years, followed by the solitary bee Xylocopa sp. Furthermore, in single and multiple seed set efficacy (5 and 10 visits), the solitary bee Xylocopa sp. produced the maximum seeds, followed by A. mellifera. Higher seed production could be achieved with a focused conservation plan of solitary and managed bees on sunflower. http://periodicos.uefs.br/index.php/sociobiology/article/view/10425XylocopaApis pollinator foragingpollination visitationpollinator stay time
spellingShingle Qasim Ali
Mudssar Ali
Fawad Zafar Ahmad Khan
Tahir Hussain Awan
Comparing the Efficacy of Single and Multiple Visits by Honey and Solitary Bees on Sunflower Seed Production
Sociobiology
Xylocopa
Apis
pollinator foraging
pollination visitation
pollinator stay time
title Comparing the Efficacy of Single and Multiple Visits by Honey and Solitary Bees on Sunflower Seed Production
title_full Comparing the Efficacy of Single and Multiple Visits by Honey and Solitary Bees on Sunflower Seed Production
title_fullStr Comparing the Efficacy of Single and Multiple Visits by Honey and Solitary Bees on Sunflower Seed Production
title_full_unstemmed Comparing the Efficacy of Single and Multiple Visits by Honey and Solitary Bees on Sunflower Seed Production
title_short Comparing the Efficacy of Single and Multiple Visits by Honey and Solitary Bees on Sunflower Seed Production
title_sort comparing the efficacy of single and multiple visits by honey and solitary bees on sunflower seed production
topic Xylocopa
Apis
pollinator foraging
pollination visitation
pollinator stay time
url http://periodicos.uefs.br/index.php/sociobiology/article/view/10425
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AT fawadzafarahmadkhan comparingtheefficacyofsingleandmultiplevisitsbyhoneyandsolitarybeesonsunflowerseedproduction
AT tahirhussainawan comparingtheefficacyofsingleandmultiplevisitsbyhoneyandsolitarybeesonsunflowerseedproduction