Occurrence of Insect Pollinators of Bitter Occurrence of Insect Pollinators of Bitter Gourd and Their Relationship with Gourd and Their Relationship with Qualitative Yield of Fruits in TaxilaQualitative Yield of Fruits in Taxila

Mohammad IrshadMohammad IrshadWaqar Ahmad & Elizabeth StephanWaqar Ahmad & Elizabeth Stephan

National Agricultural Research Center, IslamabadNational Agricultural Research Center, Islamabad

IntroductionIntroduction

Inadequate work in Pakistan on pollination Inadequate work in Pakistan on pollination studiesstudies

Bibliography of work from 1947-2010 shows Bibliography of work from 1947-2010 shows that there are 95 research articles, 21 M.SC that there are 95 research articles, 21 M.SC and 1PhD theses and 4 reports and 1PhD theses and 4 reports

Material and MethodsMaterial and Methods

The experiment was conducted on The experiment was conducted on Momordica charantiaMomordica charantia in in the village Gangu, Taxila. the village Gangu, Taxila.

Just before the opening of flower buds, card tags were hanged Just before the opening of flower buds, card tags were hanged on the nodes. Each card was labelled with the flower number on the nodes. Each card was labelled with the flower number and the plot number. and the plot number.

One hundred flowers were tagged in the last week of August One hundred flowers were tagged in the last week of August 2010. 2010.

The insect visitors coming on the bitter gourd flowers were The insect visitors coming on the bitter gourd flowers were counted between 0800 and 0100 for one and half minute on counted between 0800 and 0100 for one and half minute on alternate day.alternate day.

The counting was done till shedding of flowers .The counting was done till shedding of flowers .

At harvests the data was recorded for At harvests the data was recorded for Percentage Fruit settingPercentage Fruit setting Fruit LengthFruit Length Fruit WidthFruit Width Fruit WeightFruit Weight Seeds per fruitSeeds per fruit Seed weightSeed weight

Fruits of Fruits of M. charantiaM. charantia Fruit being weighed Fruit being weighed

Seed being weighedSeed being weighed

Ceretaa binghamiCeretaa binghami

RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONRESULTS AND DISCUSSION

SettingSetting LengthLength WidthWidth WeightWeight SeedSeed Seed Weight VisitsSeed Weight Visits%% cmcm cmcm g g No No g g

NoNoII 7575 20.620.6 3.63.6 123.6123.6 18.918.9 0.17 0.17 219219IIII 6565 20.020.0 3.23.2 121.3121.3 18.318.3 0.15 0.15 182182IIII 7070 20.720.7 3.43.4 122.2122.2 19.019.0 0.17 0.17 223223IVIV 6565 19.219.2 3.33.3 109.3109.3 18.318.3 0.25 0.25 199199VV 6060 20.020.0 3.43.4 118.0118.0 18.418.4 0.24 0.24 184184

The maximum no. of pollinators/ insect visitors was The maximum no. of pollinators/ insect visitors was in plot-III. in plot-III.

These pollinators fall under family Apidae, Scoliidae These pollinators fall under family Apidae, Scoliidae (Hymenoptera), Hesperidae, Papilionidae, (Hymenoptera), Hesperidae, Papilionidae, Nymphalidae, Pieridae (Lepidoptera), Empidae Nymphalidae, Pieridae (Lepidoptera), Empidae (Diptera), Cleridae and Chrysomelidae (Coleoptera) (Diptera), Cleridae and Chrysomelidae (Coleoptera)

The maximum no. of insect pollinators belonged to The maximum no. of insect pollinators belonged to ApidaeApidae

More than 10 species of insects visited flowersMore than 10 species of insects visited flowers

CONCLUSIONCONCLUSION

These parameters cannot be significantly These parameters cannot be significantly correlated with no. of pollinators visiting the correlated with no. of pollinators visiting the flowers. flowers.

Some more experiments are needed to Some more experiments are needed to establish number of pollinators with fruit establish number of pollinators with fruit quality and quantityquality and quantity

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The Technical and financial support of FAO, The Technical and financial support of FAO, GEF, UNEP is gratefully acknowledgedGEF, UNEP is gratefully acknowledged