Application of Asiatic Honey Bees (Apis cerana) and Stingless Bees (Trigona laeviceps) as Pollinator Agents of Hot Pepper (Capsicum annuumL.) at Local Indonesia Farm System

In Indonesia, hot pepper (Capsicum annuum) is one of the most important spices. Despite the fact that high yield cultivars and fertilizers have been applied to increase the annual production of this spice, local farming is always unable to maintain constant production. Studies to find the explanation of this problem mostly focused on pest attack while possibility of low fruit production due to lack of pollination was neglected. In this study, the effect of pollinator visitation to fruit set and quality was assessed by application of two local domesticated honey bees, Asiatic honey bees (Apis cerana) and stingless bees (Trigona laeviceps) as potential pollinator agents at hot pepper plantation. This study found that both bees had similar visitation rate whileA. ceranaspend less time in flowers. Visitation byA. ceranaandTrigona laevicepsimproved fruit set, fruit production per plant, average fruit weight, and fruit size. This result confirms the importance of cross pollination for hot pepper production and both species could be used as pollination agent for hot pepper. Advantages and disadvantages for each species as pollination agent for local Indonesia farm system are discussed in this paper.

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Aplikasi Trigona (Tetragonula) laeviceps sebagai Agen Penyerbuk pada Sistem Tumpang Sari Buncis dan Tomat di dalam Rumah Kaca

Jurnal Sumberdaya Hayati ◽

10.29244/jsdh.4.2.63-70 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 4 (2) ◽

pp. 63-70

Author(s):

SOVIA SANTI LEKSIKOWATI ◽

RAMADHANI EKA PUTRA ◽

MIA ROSMIATI ◽

IDA KINASIH ◽

INAYATI ZAKIYATUN USNA ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Open Field ◽

Stingless Bees ◽

Apis Cerana ◽

Fruit Production ◽

Pollination Efficiency ◽

Phaseolus Vulgaris L ◽

Pollination Success ◽

Solanum Lycopersicum L ◽

Mixed Crops

Greenhouse is widely applied to provide protection against pest and harsh environment condition and most farmers usually planted mixed crops inside. However, this system creates an isolation to pollination which responsible for fruit production. In this study, local domesticated stingless bees, Trigona (Tetragonula) laeviceps, was applied as pollinator for two crops, beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) and tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum L.) planted as mixed crops inside greenhouse. The benefit of the bees was measured as pollination success and quality of the crops produced (size and weight). Tomato flowers received no visit from both wild pollinators (all was Apis cerana) and stingless bees while in bean flowers, A. cerana exhibited more and longer visits to flower than T. laeviceps albeit lower number of flowers visited. The pollination efficiency between wild pollinator and T. laeviceps for beans (both at 41%) while self pollination produced better pollination efficiency for tomatoes planted at open field (84% compared to 71%). Beans planted at open field produced better products (bigger size and heavier) while tomatoes produced lesser quality although the differences were not significant. Based on this study, T. laeviceps may applied as pollinator agent in greenhouse and for mixed crops of beans and tomatoes.

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Autonomous self-pollination and insect visitation in a saprophytic orchid, Epipogium roseum (D.Don) Lindl.

Australian Journal of Botany ◽

10.1071/bt11265 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 60 (2) ◽

pp. 154 ◽

Cited By ~ 10

Author(s):

X. Zhou ◽

H. Lin ◽

X.-L. Fan ◽

J.-Y. Gao

Keyword(s):

Honey Bee ◽

Honey Bees ◽

Fruit Set ◽

Apis Cerana ◽

Floral Biology ◽

Resource Limitations ◽

Self Pollination ◽

Insect Visitation ◽

Asian Honey Bee ◽

Insect Visitors

Reproductive biology of saprophytic plants has been poorly studied. Epipogium roseum (D.Don) Lindl. is a small saprophytic orchid that is widely distributed in tropical and subtropical Asia, Australia and Africa. The floral biology and insect visitation of E. roseum were studied in Xishuangbanna, south Yunnan Province, China. E. roseum possesses an obligate self-pollination system, in which the degenerative rostellum has lost its function as a physical barrier separating the stigma and stamens (pollinia), allowing contact between the stigmatic secretions and the pollinia during bud development. Flowers of E. roseum usually open and successfully attract insect visitors. The Asian honey bee (Apis cerana cerana) was the only visitor observed, and regularly visited flowers of E. roseum for nectar. However, these bees did not carry pollinia away after visiting the flowers due to the absence of a viscid disk in E. roseum; the results of experiments also indicated that the Asian honey bee does not contribute to fruit set in E. roseum. The visiting frequency of Asian honey bees to flowers of E. roseum varied both spatially and temporally. E. roseum does not undergo outcrossing mediated by insects and is adapted to obligate self-pollination. We suggest that this may have evolved because of the uncertainty of pollinator services associated with its saprophytic lifestyle. Our current studies do not support the hypothesis that obligate autogamy is favoured by myco-heterotrophic plants due to resource limitations.

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Beekeeping and Managed Bee Diversity in Indonesia: Perspective and Preference of Beekeepers

Diversity ◽

10.3390/d14010052 ◽

2022 ◽

Vol 14 (1) ◽

pp. 52

Author(s):

Damayanti Buchori ◽

Akhmad Rizali ◽

Windra Priawandiputra ◽

Rika Raffiudin ◽

Dewi Sartiami ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Honey Bees ◽

Stingless Bees ◽

Environmental Changes ◽

Cultural Practices ◽

Apis Cerana ◽

Common Species ◽

Educational Background ◽

Bee Conservation ◽

Bee Diversity ◽

The Tropics

There is a high diversity of bees in the tropics, including honey bees and stingless bees, which are the main sources for honey and other ecosystem services. In Indonesia, beekeeping practices have been developed for centuries, and they have been part of many cultural practices in many traditional communities. The objective of this research was to study the beekeeping status and managed bee diversity in Indonesia and to investigate beekeepers’ perspectives on the factors and obstacles related to beekeeping. Direct interview and online interview were conducted to gain data on bees and beekeepers. In total, 272 beekeepers were interviewed across 25 provinces. Samplings of honey bees and stingless bees were also done during direct interviews for further identification and, when possible, pollen identification. All data and specimens were then sent to IPB Bogor for compilation and identification. We recorded 22 species of bees, including 3 species of honey bees and 19 species of stingless bees, that are reared by Indonesian beekeepers, with Apis cerana and Tetragonula laeviceps as the most common species. Our research also found that the majority of beekeepers fall into the category of the younger generation (30–39 years old) with educational background mostly from senior high school. Based on the beekeepers’ perspectives, there are several obstacles to beekeeping, especially the occurrence of death of bee foragers attributed to climate, food source, and pesticides. In conclusion, there is a need to develop a strategy for beekeeping and bee conservation in Indonesia, especially for adaptation and mitigation from environmental changes with a particular focus on climate and land-use change.

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Reproductive Responses of Capsicum annuum to High Temperatures

HortScience ◽

10.21273/hortsci.33.3.543c ◽

1998 ◽

Vol 33 (3) ◽

pp. 543c-543

Author(s):

Ami N. Erickson ◽

Albert H. Markhart

Keyword(s):

Capsicum Annuum ◽

High Temperatures ◽

Fruit Development ◽

Flower Development ◽

Fruit Set ◽

Fruit Production ◽

Yield Reduction ◽

Bud Size ◽

Growth Chambers ◽

Constant Growth

Fruit yield reduction due to high temperatures has been widely observed in Solanaceous crops. Our past experiments have demonstrated that Capsicum annuum cultivars Ace and Bell Boy completely fail to produce fruit when grown at constant 33 °C. However, flowers are produced, continually. To determine which stages of flower development are sensitive to high temperatures, pepper buds, ranging in size from 1 mm to anthesis, were exposed to high temperatures for 6 hr, 48 hr, 5 days, or for the duration of the experiment. Fruit set for each bud size was determined. Exposure to high temperatures at anthesis and at the 2-mm size stage for 2 or more days significantly reduced fruit production. To determine whether inhibition of pollination, inhibition of fertilization, and/or injury to the female or male structures prevents fruit production at high temperatures, flowers from pepper cultivars Ace and Bell Boy were grown until flowers on the 8th or 9th node were 11 mm in length. Plants were divided between 25 °C and 33 °C constant growth chambers for 2 to 4 days until anthesis. At anthesis, flowers from both treatments were cross-pollinated in all combination, and crosses were equally divided between 33 or 25 °C growth chambers until fruit set or flowers abscised. All flower crosses resulted in 80% to 100% fruit set when post-pollination temperatures were 25 °C. However, post-pollination temperatures of 33 °C significantly reduced fruit production. Reduced fruit set by flowers exposed to high temperatures during anthesis and pollination is not a result of inviable pollen or ovule, but an inhibition of fertilization or initial fruit development.

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Antiviral Activities of a Medicinal Plant Extract Against Sacbrood Virus in Honeybees

Virology Journal ◽

10.1186/s12985-021-01550-y ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Liping Sun ◽

Xueqi Zhang ◽

Shufa Xu ◽

Chunsheng Hou ◽

Jin Xu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Honey Bees ◽

Apis Cerana ◽

Larval Growth ◽

Antiviral Agent ◽

Antiviral Effect ◽

Absolute Quantification ◽

Chinese Medicinal Herb ◽

Sacbrood Virus ◽

Antiviral Activities ◽

Potential Strategy

Abstract Background Sacbrood is an infectious disease of the honey bee caused by Scbrood virus (SBV) which belongs to the family Iflaviridae and is especially lethal for Asian honeybee Apis cerana. Chinese Sacbrood virus (CSBV) is a geographic strain of SBV. Currently, there is a lack of an effective antiviral agent for controlling CSBV infection in honey bees. Methods Here, we explored the antiviral effect of a Chinese medicinal herb Radix isatidis on CSBV infection in A. cerana by inoculating the 3rd instar larvae with purified CSBV and treating the infected bee larvae with R. isatidis extract at the same time. The growth, development, and survival of larvae between the control and treatment groups were compared. The CSBV copy number at the 4th instar, 5th instar, and 6th instar larvae was measured by the absolute quantification PCR method. Results Bioassays revealed that R. isatidis extract significantly inhibited the replication of CSBV, mitigated the impacts of CSBV on larval growth and development, reduced the mortality of CSBV-infected A. cerana larvae, and modulated the expression of immune transcripts in infected bees. Conclusion Although the mechanism underlying the inhibition of CSBV replication by the medicine plant will require further investigation, this study demonstrated the antiviral activity of R. isatidis extract and provides a potential strategy for controlling SBV infection in honey bees.

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Effect of Genetically Diverse Pollen on Pollination, Pollen Tube Overgrow, Fruit Set and Morphology of Kiwiberry (Actinidia arguta)

Agronomy ◽

10.3390/agronomy11091814 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (9) ◽

pp. 1814

Author(s):

Agnieszka Stasiak ◽

Piotr Latocha ◽

Monika Bieniasz

Keyword(s):

Pollen Tube ◽

Fruit Set ◽

Fruit Weight ◽

High Yield ◽

Positive Interactions ◽

Dioecious Plants ◽

Pollen Quality ◽

Pollination And Fertilization

Successful pollination and fertilization are crucial processes for obtaining a high yield, especially for dioecious plants such as A. arguta. Determination of pollen tube growth on stigma and fruit development parameters, which were investigated in this study, can enable the evaluation of male–female compatibility—one of the factors of successful pollination. Pollen quality and grain size were analysed for two years on six male cultivars of A. arguta and one of A. chinensis var. deliciosa. Results showed high pollen quality, both with parameters above 80%. Pollen germination in vivo showed differences in pollen–stigma interactions. The highest positive interactions were observed for all female cultivar crosses with male ‘Nostino’ and ‘Rubi’ and the lowest one for A. chinensis var. deliciosa ‘Tomuri’. However, fruit set and average fruit weight were equally high in most of the combinations (fruit set above 75% for the majority of combinations). Some differences were noticed in the average seed number per fruit and weight. All tested male cultivars were able to fertilize tested female cultivars, but taking into account other characteristics such as pollen efficiency, some male cultivars seemed to be more proper for commercial orchards. Using A. chinensis var. deliciosa pollen seems to be unreasonable in tested conditions.

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Carbohidratos y Floración en Hesperaloë funifera (Koch) Trel. (Samandoque)

Botanical Sciences ◽

10.17129/botsci.1612 ◽

2017 ◽

pp. 67

Author(s):

Steven P. Mclaughlin ◽

Ryan R. Williams

Keyword(s):

Fruit Set ◽

Fruit Production ◽

Hesperaloe Funifera

Several researchers have noted that flowering in Agavaceae requires substantial resources, but few studies have attempted to directly measure such resources. T his study addresses the hypothesis that fruit set in Hesperaloë funifera is limited by available carbohydrates. The accumulation of total non-structural carbohydrates (TNC) prior to flowering was measured, and total requirements for carbohydrate were estimated. Hesperaloë funifera was found to accumulate fructans, and roots were an important organ for storage of accumulated carbohydrates. Carbohydrates stored in the plant prior to flowering are sufficient to meet only about onethird of the carbohydrate needed to produce an average inflorescence with 1 % to 2% fruit set. All of the carbohydrate produced by photosynthesis from May through August is needed to support flowering and fruit production. Low percentage fruit set in Hesperaloë funifera is probably due to a deficiency of carbohydrate resources.

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Hypopharyngeal Gland Activity in Task-Specific Workers Under Brood and Broodless Conditions in Apis Cerana Indica (Fab.)

Journal of Apicultural Science ◽

10.2478/jas-2014-0022 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 58 (2) ◽

pp. 59-70 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Seydur Rahman ◽

Ibamelaker Thangkhiew ◽

Sudhanya R. Hajong

Keyword(s):

Electron Microscopy ◽

Protein Synthesis ◽

Honey Bees ◽

Protein Concentration ◽

Apis Cerana ◽

Larval Rearing ◽

Hypopharyngeal Gland ◽

Head Weight ◽

Apis Cerana Indica ◽

Scanning Electron

Abstract The hypopharyngeal gland (HPG) is the principal organ of protein synthesis in honey bees. It is involved in larval rearing. We examined the fresh head weight, HPG acini diameter, and HPG protein content in worker bees engaged in different tasks and under brood and broodless conditions. Scanning electron microscopy revealed that the HPG acini diameter of worker bees was related to their task. The highest HPG volume was found in nurse bees, and the volume regressed when the task changed from guarding to foraging. The fresh head weight was positively correlated with HPG acini diameter. Although, there was no positive correlation between HPG acini diameter and protein concentration, the glandular protein concentration increased progressively in nurse bees and declined in guard and forager bees. Histochemistry revealed similar results. Despite displaying significantly larger glands, guard bee protein secretion was similar to that of the foragers. Brooding had a significant effect on HPG activity. Only worker bees from the colony with an intact brood showed elevated rates of protein synthesis; thus, it is possible that a signal was emitted by the brood, which stimulated protein synthesis in the HPG. However, the size of the HPG was similar in both brood and broodless conditions.

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STUDIES ON THE VARIABILITY OF THE PRODUCTIVITY COMPONENTS IN A COLLECTION OF HOT PEPPER LANDRACES (CAPSICUM ANUUM VAR. MICROCARPUM)

Current Trends in Natural Sciences ◽

10.47068/ctns.2021.v10i19.027 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 10 (19) ◽

pp. 201-208

Author(s):

Emilian Madoşă ◽

Lavinia Sasu ◽

Sorin Ciulca ◽

Constantin Avădanei ◽

Adriana Ciulca ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Morphological Characteristics ◽

Fruit Production ◽

Fruit Weight ◽

Plant Production ◽

Average Weight ◽

Hot Pepper ◽

Breeding Programs ◽

Hot Peppers ◽

Biometric Measurements ◽

Western Romania

The aim of the research was to evaluate the variability value of the main characters that contribute to the achievement of plant production to a collection of hot pepper genotypes. The biological material was composed of 17 landraces of hot peppers collected from western Romania. The study was conducted for two years, with biometric measurements on the morphological characteristics of fruit production on the plant. Intra-population variability was assessed (mean, standard deviation of mean and coefficient of variability) and differences between populations for these characters. The results show that the variability within the collection is high. Within populations, fruit sizes (length, diameter) are uniform, but the number of fruits and their weight per plant show greater variability. Within the collection, variations in morphological characteristics are large, especially for fruit length, fruit weight, number and weight of fruit per plant. Among the landraces studied, some may be recommended for breeding programs, as parents or as material for the application of selection: for long fruits (Juliţa, Aldeşti I and Satchinez I), for short fruits (Satchinez III), but also the landraces Rieni III (17.07 g average weight of the fruit), Temerești II (89.82 fruits per plant), Aldești I (931.17 g fruits per plant).

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