INFLUENCE OF POLLINATORS (EUROPEAN AND INDIAN HONEYBEES) ON NIGER, GUIZOTIA ABYSSINICA PRODUCTIVITY

Niger (Guizotia abyssinica Cass.) is a traditional crop of tribal farmers in the agency area of Viskhapatnam district of Andhra Pradesh.Experiment was conducted at Regional Agricultural Research Station, Chintapalle during 2018-19 and 2019-2020.Results revealed the floral biology of the niger flower with flower spread of 41.2 mm, capitula diameter of 12.7 mm, stamen length of 5.15 mm, pistil length of 11.01 mm, and average number of florets (disc & ray florets) per flower as 39.86.The maximum relative abundance (19.71) of bees was recorded at 09:30 hour, after which its relative abundance was found decline due to hot weather.Maximum foraging speed of 7.41, 6.48 and 7.75 seconds per flower was found with Indian bees at 09:30; 11:00; 13:30 hours respectively followed by foraging speed of 8.74, 8.00 and 8.49 seconds per flower by little bees at 09:30; 11:00; 13:30 hours respectively.Maximum foraging rate was found with Indian bees at 09:30,; 11:00,; 13:30 hours which visited 8.74, 7.97 and 8.91 flowers per minute, respectively followed by European bees at 09:30; 11:00; 13:30 which visited 6.52, 4.88 and 7.84 flowers per minute, respectively.All the bees were observed as top workers on the Niger flowers.Among four treatments, (T4) Open pollination was found effective as it is pollinated by all types of bees (Little bee, Indian bee, Stingless bee etc.) and other pollinators and recorded the highest yield (8.85 q/ha) compared to individual bee pollination and without bee pollination.Lowest yield of 2.25 q/ha was recorded in crop caged without bees (T3).The quantity of honey produced was non-significant, but there was a significance difference in pollen collection by European and Indian bees.