Variable Transect Method Outperformed in Sampling Hymenopteran Flower Visitors in <i>Brassica campestris</i> L. var. <i>toria</i> Ecosystem

<i>Brassica campestris</i> L. var. <i>toria</i>, a major oilseed crop cultivated in India, is primarily an entomophilic species. Hymenopteran flower-visiting species provide important ecological services like pollination or pest control in <i>Brassica</i> crops. I...

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Main Authors: Arup Kumar Sarma, Borsha Neog, Mukul Kumar Deka, Alin Carabet, Ramona Stef
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-05-01
Series:Agronomy
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/15/6/1281
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author Arup Kumar Sarma
Borsha Neog
Mukul Kumar Deka
Alin Carabet
Ramona Stef
author_facet Arup Kumar Sarma
Borsha Neog
Mukul Kumar Deka
Alin Carabet
Ramona Stef
author_sort Arup Kumar Sarma
collection DOAJ
description <i>Brassica campestris</i> L. var. <i>toria</i>, a major oilseed crop cultivated in India, is primarily an entomophilic species. Hymenopteran flower-visiting species provide important ecological services like pollination or pest control in <i>Brassica</i> crops. In this context, a study was conducted during 2015–2017 in three localities in Assam, a state in northeast India that falls under two global biodiversity hotspots—Indo–Burma and Himalayan—to bring data on the diversity of hymenopteran flower visitors of toria crops by using multiple sampling techniques and to compare the efficiency of these techniques. Altogether, nine sampling treatments were used. To assess the sampling effectiveness of the different treatments, the data from the two cropping periods of toria in each locality were analysed cumulatively and comparatively. Variable transect outperformed the other sampling methods with the highest number of hymenopteran flower visitor species recorded in toria crops at 54, representing 84.4% of the total number of species, and was followed by standard transect (34 species, 53.1%), elevated yellow trap (22 species, 34.4%), and observation plot (21 species, 32.8%). However, the importance of multiple sampling methods in this diversity study was noticed; one method alone could not sample all the species recorded. The cluster of traps and netting with transect walks was proven to be complementary and considered useful for future research studies in the upstream basin of the Burhidihing River of Assam, India.
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spelling doaj-art-b861b45c49db420e96f83b2e7c2e82712025-08-20T03:30:25ZengMDPI AGAgronomy2073-43952025-05-01156128110.3390/agronomy15061281Variable Transect Method Outperformed in Sampling Hymenopteran Flower Visitors in <i>Brassica campestris</i> L. var. <i>toria</i> EcosystemArup Kumar Sarma0Borsha Neog1Mukul Kumar Deka2Alin Carabet3Ramona Stef4AAU-Zonal Research Station, Shillongani, Assam Agricultural University, Nagaon 782002, Assam, IndiaDepartment of Statistics, Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat 785013, Assam, IndiaDepartment of Entomology, Assam Agricultural University, Jorhat 785013, Assam, IndiaFaculty of Agriculture, University of Life Sciences “King Mihai I” from Timisoara, Calea Aradului 119, 300645 Timisoara, RomaniaFaculty of Agriculture, University of Life Sciences “King Mihai I” from Timisoara, Calea Aradului 119, 300645 Timisoara, Romania<i>Brassica campestris</i> L. var. <i>toria</i>, a major oilseed crop cultivated in India, is primarily an entomophilic species. Hymenopteran flower-visiting species provide important ecological services like pollination or pest control in <i>Brassica</i> crops. In this context, a study was conducted during 2015–2017 in three localities in Assam, a state in northeast India that falls under two global biodiversity hotspots—Indo–Burma and Himalayan—to bring data on the diversity of hymenopteran flower visitors of toria crops by using multiple sampling techniques and to compare the efficiency of these techniques. Altogether, nine sampling treatments were used. To assess the sampling effectiveness of the different treatments, the data from the two cropping periods of toria in each locality were analysed cumulatively and comparatively. Variable transect outperformed the other sampling methods with the highest number of hymenopteran flower visitor species recorded in toria crops at 54, representing 84.4% of the total number of species, and was followed by standard transect (34 species, 53.1%), elevated yellow trap (22 species, 34.4%), and observation plot (21 species, 32.8%). However, the importance of multiple sampling methods in this diversity study was noticed; one method alone could not sample all the species recorded. The cluster of traps and netting with transect walks was proven to be complementary and considered useful for future research studies in the upstream basin of the Burhidihing River of Assam, India.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/15/6/1281Assam<i>Brassica campestris</i> L.hymenopterandiversitypollinatorsampling method
spellingShingle Arup Kumar Sarma
Borsha Neog
Mukul Kumar Deka
Alin Carabet
Ramona Stef
Variable Transect Method Outperformed in Sampling Hymenopteran Flower Visitors in <i>Brassica campestris</i> L. var. <i>toria</i> Ecosystem
Agronomy
Assam
<i>Brassica campestris</i> L.
hymenopteran
diversity
pollinator
sampling method
title Variable Transect Method Outperformed in Sampling Hymenopteran Flower Visitors in <i>Brassica campestris</i> L. var. <i>toria</i> Ecosystem
title_full Variable Transect Method Outperformed in Sampling Hymenopteran Flower Visitors in <i>Brassica campestris</i> L. var. <i>toria</i> Ecosystem
title_fullStr Variable Transect Method Outperformed in Sampling Hymenopteran Flower Visitors in <i>Brassica campestris</i> L. var. <i>toria</i> Ecosystem
title_full_unstemmed Variable Transect Method Outperformed in Sampling Hymenopteran Flower Visitors in <i>Brassica campestris</i> L. var. <i>toria</i> Ecosystem
title_short Variable Transect Method Outperformed in Sampling Hymenopteran Flower Visitors in <i>Brassica campestris</i> L. var. <i>toria</i> Ecosystem
title_sort variable transect method outperformed in sampling hymenopteran flower visitors in i brassica campestris i l var i toria i ecosystem
topic Assam
<i>Brassica campestris</i> L.
hymenopteran
diversity
pollinator
sampling method
url https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4395/15/6/1281
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