Productivity of Trigona spp. as a Propolis Producer at Monoculture and Policulture Nutmeg Plantation in East Java | Produktivitas Lebah Trigona spp. sebagai Penghasil Propolis pada Perkebunan Pala Monokultur dan Polikultur di Jawa Barat

One of the stingless bee, namely Trigona spp. is a good propolis producer but, until now the species is not cultivated yet. Propolis is made from resin collected by bee from plants and mixed with enzim from bee saliva. The best resin produced by plants that used as medicine. Nutmeg is original plant from Indonesia, and commonly used as medicine. The aim of this study was to analyze the productivity of Trigona bee as propolis producer which were cultivated at monoculture and policulture plantations. This study was carried on at the Experimental Plantation (Cicurug Monoculture Farm) and Community Plantation (Cijeruk Policulture Farm) and data collection were conducted for three months from March until May 2012. Methodology used in this study was direct observation on daily activity and measurement the colony weight of Trigona that was kept at two different farms. Propolis production was measured in the two agroecosyestems and analysed to measure the flavonoid content of propolis produced in each locality. The results showed that the weight of Trigona at monoculture farm was higher than those at the policulture (299 g : 170 g), but the weight of propolis at policulture farm was higher than monoculture farm (92,75 g : 65,57 g). The result of flavonoid content of propolis at monoculture farm is 0,186%, and 0,288% at policulture farm. The difference might be related to the activity of the stingless bee which were more active at the monoculture farm to develop their colony rather than their product (propolis). It shows that the activity of the stingless bee at monoculture was more active than those at the policulture farm.