Collection Efficiency of Fresh Pollen under Different Pollen Trapping Frequencies by Apis mellifera L. Colonies in Mustard

Abstract

The present experiment was carried out at apiary of Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Morena and at beekeeper’s apiary in Morena, M.P. during 2022-23 and 2023-24 to evaluate the consumption pattern of different artificial diets by Apis mellifera L. colonies during dearth periods. Front mounted wooden pollen traps were mounted under five different pollen trapping frequencies as treatments, including control and the amount of pollen collection was recorded per colony per day. The results revealed that, colonies with daily trapping had the highest average pollen collection rate (167.45 and 157.34 g/colony/day) and the lowest average pollen collection rate (13.34 and 12.79 g/colony/day) was observed in weekly trapping across the trapping period of both the consecutive years. However, the control group, with no pollen trapping, was observed with no pollen collection. Additionally, the total pollen collection across the trapping frequencies was highest in daily trapping (1.340 and 1.259 kg/colony) and lowest in weekly trapping (0.107 and 0.102 kg/colony) during 2022-23 and 2023-24, respectively. During the trapping weeks, the lowest amount of pollen (17.89 and 20.67 g/colony/day) was collected in 1st week i.e. during 03 – 09 December at the initiation of the mustard flora. However, the highest amount of pollen collection (101.03 g/colony/day pollen) was recorded in 4th week (24 - 31 December, 2022) while during 2023-24 it was recorded highest in 6th week (8 - 14 January) with 99.24 g/colony/day pollen. The correlation analysis showed that the average amount of collected pollen was significantly negative correlated with wind speed.