ARCHIVES
VOL. 7, ISSUE 6 (2022)
Floral sources for the insect pollinators with special reference to honeybees in Kangra region of Himachal Pradesh
Authors
Rajesh Kumar, Rekha Kumari, Indu Kumari, Dhiraj S Rawat
Abstract
Pollinators and angiosperms have co-evolved and exhibit symbiotic relationship. Angiosperms are the main source of food for majority of insect pollinators. These may include entomophilous agricultural crops as well as fruit, vegetable, spice, ornamental, weeds, fiber, medicinal, timber or avenue plants etc. Insects pollinate angiospermic plants and help in self/cross pollination which ultimately enhances crop productivity. In return, they obtain their food from plants in form of pollen, nectar and fruits. These plant parts are important food resources for various commercially and agriculturally important insects such as honeybees, butterflies, aphids, wasps etc. Pollen is the protein-rich food used mostly to feed the brood whereas nectar is used as fuel for performing various activities like flight, foraging, rearing brood and other hive activities. Nectar is carbohydrate rich substance which honeybees used to gain energy by transforming it into honey. Both pollen and nectar after transforming into various useful products are utilized by human beings in their day to day life activities. There are specific insects which convert floral sources into useful products which are otherwise unobtainable by man. Essential factors for insect attractiveness should be studied and incorporated into new varieties/cultivars of desired crops. Beekeepers, farmers, extension workers, bee scientists, plant breeders and environmentalists will have to work together for management of floral sources. Therefore, present study was carried out to compile the floral plants available in district Kangra so that to strengthen floral calendar in the Himalayan region.
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Pages:129-135
How to cite this article:
Rajesh Kumar, Rekha Kumari, Indu Kumari, Dhiraj S Rawat "Floral sources for the insect pollinators with special reference to honeybees in Kangra region of Himachal Pradesh". International Journal of Entomology Research, Vol 7, Issue 6, 2022, Pages 129-135
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