Monitoring Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris L.) Activity in Pollinating Tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill) under Plastichouses in Jordan
2003
Al-Attal, Y.Z. | Nazer, I.K. | /kasrawi, M.W. (Jordan Univ., Amman (Jordan) Faculty of Agriculture)
Three plastichouses (PH); 0.5 dunum (500m²) each, (tunnel type) and 5 dunums (5000m²) (multispan type) were used to monitor bumblebee (Bombus terrestris L.) activity on tomato flowers. The onset of flowering took place after 24 days of transplanting , and the flush of flowering started during the anthesis of cluster 2, 3, and 4, reaching the peak with an average of 9.4 flowers per plant (F/P) then a decrease in flower density during the rest of the season with less than 4.5 (F/P). The visiting percentage was 93% and 95% in 0.5 dunum and 5 dunums (PH), respectively. The visiting period of bumblebee individual on tomato flowers visited for the first time was 17.0 and 16.6 seconds in both (PH), respectively. It was found that according to the number of forager bees present and the flower density in the (PH), one standard bumblebee colony could be used to pollinate 2000m² (PH) tomatoes during the whole flowering season and the colony to be transferred daily. It was also noticed that the average number of forager bees varied during the season and it reached the peak after 30 days of placement. After 60 days, only few foragers could be counted in the 0.5 dunum (PH) but it lasts more effective in the 5.0 dunum (PH).
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