Qualitative and Quantitative Impact of Honeybee Pollination on Apple Production in Shimla Hills of Himachal Pradesh, India

V. K. Mattu, Dimpal Nirala

Abstract: The experiment on quantitative and qualitative effects of honeybee pollination on apple crop were carried out on European bee Apis mellifera L. and Indian hive bee Apis cerana F. , by placing two colonies of each species in experimental apple orchards located at Padola (2200 m), Kalzar (2514 m) and Jarol (2648 m) areas in Shimla hills of Himachal Pradesh. There was no significant difference (P>0.01) in the fruit set in different experimental designs (honeybees pollinated flowers, open pollinated flowers and in control) in self-compatible varieties of apple (Golden Delicious and Red Gold), but the differences in these experimental designs were significant (P0.01). In Golden Delicious and Red Gold, the qualitative pollination data showed that weight, length, breadth, volume and number of seeds per fruit developed were significantly maximum in honeybee pollinated flowers (P

Keywords: Honeybee pollination, quantitative and qualitative effects, apple crop, Shimla hill