Diversity of Pollinators on Sunflower

Abstract

Sunflower crop was grown during rabi 2021 and summer 2022 at the M S Swaminathan School of Agriculture, Centurion University of Technology and Management, Gajapati, Odisha. Investigation has been made on diversity of different pollinating agents associated with sunflower by observing their abundance, diversity, percentage contribution following the statistical diversity indices. The present study revealed eighteen different pollinators associated with sunflower. The Indian honey bee, Apis cerana indica (F)was recorded as the most dominant hymenopteran pollinator followed by the rock bee Apis dorsata(F)from family Apidae. The foraging activity of A. c. indica was observed to be maximum during midflowering stage (1.72± 1.23 and 2.78± 1.81 bees/ capitulum/ min in 1st and 2nd season, respectively) withhighest activity during 01:00-02:00 PM (3.02 bees/ capitulum/min.) and 10:00 to 11:00 AM (4.42 bees/capitulum/ min) during first and second seasons respectively. The Apidae family members’ i.e. A. c. indica and A. dorsata have attained eudominant and other pollinators were belonging mostly to the recedentand subrecedent classes based on dominance status. The diversity indices showed mid flowering stageattracted the most diversified group of pollinators.