The Effect of Honeybee (Apismellifera) Pollination in Enhancing Yield of Nigella sativa (Darbera Variety) in the High Land of Bale

Abstract

Pollination is an essential process in the production of seed plants, it results in a genetically diverse production of offspring and its role is not well understood and appreciated in the local farming system. This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of honeybees pollination on Black cumin seed yield and yield related parameters at Sinana Agricultural Research center at on-station. The study had three experiment; these includes plots caged with honeybees (T1), plots caged without honeybees (T2) and open pollinated plots (T3). All collected data were analyzed using One-way-Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). In the study seven species of insects were identified as Nigella sativa visitors or pollinators with the most frequent visitors were honeybees at 11:30 am time and minimum at 3:00 pm on open pollinated plot. There were no significant different (P>0.05) on Date of blooming, Date of flowering, Flowering period, Primary and secondary branches among the three treatments. Whereas, there were a significant difference (P<0.05) on shading time, Number of capsule, Thousand kernel and total seed yield per hector. In general the present study showed that the highest seed yield/hector was achieved from crops caged with honeybees (20.20Qt/ha) and followed by open pollinated crop (17.54Qt/ha). The result also revealed that about 30.84% of seed yield advantage of Nigella sativa pollinated by honeybees over control/un pollinated by any insect. From this result it was concluded that visits of honeybees at flowering time of Nigella sativa have very helpful in boosting seed yield and yield related components of this crop.