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VOL. 10, ISSUE 4 (2025)
Major insect pollinators, relative abundance, and their foraging behaviour on Brassica napus L. (mustard)
Authors
Ayesha Sarfaraz, Braj Kishor Prasad Singh, Fazlah Wahid
Abstract
Mustard (Brassica napus L.) is an
economically important oilseed crop. It is a self-incompatible crop and needs
biological agents, including different insects for cross-pollination.
Cross-pollination increases the seed yield and seed quality of mustard. This
work was carried out during the winter (rabi) season of 2024-2025 in a field
located in the Mushahri block of the Muzaffarpur region. The major insect
pollinators' relative abundance, foraging rate, and foraging speed were
studied. Observations were taken three times in a day between 10:00-11:00 hrs,
13:00-14:00 hrs and 16:00-17:00 hrs during the full bloom of mustard, and the
number of insects of each species visiting the flowers was recorded for 5
minutes. The study revealed that the floral visitors of mustard were seven
species belonging to two insect orders, Hymenoptera and Diptera, among which
the Hymenopteran order was the major floral visitors. Apis dorsata
(16.06 flower/min) exhibited high foraging rates and Episyrphus balteatus
(36.53 sec/flower) exhibited high foraging speed during the present study. The
abundance of Apis mellifera (6.46 insects/m2/5min) was
highest during the study.
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Pages:89-92
How to cite this article:
Ayesha Sarfaraz, Braj Kishor Prasad Singh, Fazlah Wahid "Major insect pollinators, relative abundance, and their foraging behaviour on <i>Brassica napus</i> L. (mustard)". International Journal of Entomology Research, Vol 10, Issue 4, 2025, Pages 89-92
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