Pollination of the mangoes, Mangifera indica L.

Studies on pollination of mangoes variety Nam Dokmai at Pakchong Research Station, Nakornrajasima province were investigated during 1983-1984. The number of early fruit set in the opened plot, pollinated by natural insect pollinators exceeded the closed pollination in cages by the Indian bees (Apis cerana F.) or the green bottle flies (Chrysoya spp.) or no insect pollinators but there were no significant difference by the Italian bees (A.mellifera L.) in cage. Crop yield form self-pollination by the Italian bees seem to be better than the other insects in cage trials. The popular natural pollinators in this area were the honey bee group (80 %). There were dwarf bee (A. florea F.) 74 %, Indian bee 3.4 % and Italian bee 2.1 %. The second group was flies (19 %) which were surphid flies 11.6 %, green bottle flies 5.6 % and flesh flies 1.6 %. The rest about 1 % was insects in 20 species were found visited mangoes flowers. The honey bees usually foraged pollen and nectar from mangoes flowers at the same time. The highest population was in the middle of flowering season, and the peak of the day about 10.00 - 12.00 A.M. The Italian bees usually foraged in the mangoes plantation about 25-50 meters far from their hives (about 3-4 bees per plant). The activity of the Indian bee visit on flowers was faster than the other insects. It can visit 17 florets of mangoes within 1 minute by mean of the Italian bee can do 9 florets and the dwarf bee 8 florets and the green bottle flies only 2 florets. The Italian bee pollen loads of mangoes collected from bee pollen basket were higher in the afternoon than in the morning. The important plant characteristics involved with pollination such as number of pollen grains per anther, viabillity of pollen, size and proportion fo type of flowers were recorded.