INTRODUCTION TO BEE FLORA
Honey bees collect nectar and pollen from a variety of plants which are known as bee flora or bee forage or bee pasture or nectar and pollen plants. Nectar is source of honey, meeting the carbohydrate requirements of honey bees, where as pollen is source of protein. Bee pasture can be designated as build up, honey flow and dearth period flora depending on period of availability with respect to development of bee colonies. The flora of an area is characteristic of its agro climatic conditions and as such varies from place to place. This flora is also a food base for large number of pollinators. Out of 3,52,000 species of flowering plants in the world nearly 3,08,000 species (87.5 per cent) are pollinated by animals (including insects, birds, bats, etc.). Bees pollinate a large majority of these plants. Pollination is an ecosystem service provided by the bees that is almost always taken for granted. In simple terms bees make more fruits and seeds for us by collecting nectar and pollen then the quantity of honey they make. Hence, it is essential to understand various types of bee flora and their blooming phenology in a given area to conserve bee colonies.
List of important bee flora:
Sr.No. Common Botanical Family Flowering period Source for N - name name (1-12 months) nectar P - pollen
1. Stone and Prunus & Pyrus Rosaceae 2-4 N+P pome fruits spp.
2. Bramble Rubus ellipticus Rosaceae 2-3 N+P
3. Barberry Berberis lycium Berberidaceae 3-4 N+P
4. Honey suckle Lonicera Caprifoliaceae 3-4 N+P angustifolia
5. Yellow clover Medicago Leguminosae 3-4 N+P denticulata
6. White clover Trifolium Leguminosae 3-4 N+P repens
7. Egyptian Trifolium Leguminosae 4-5 N+P clover alexandrinum
8. Hirad Terminalia Combretaceae 4-6 N chebula
9. Jamun Syzygium Myrtaceae 4-5 N+P cumini
10. Eucalyptus Eucalyptus sp. Myrtaceae 3-5 N+P
11. Bottle brush Callistemon Myrtaceae 4 N+P lanceolatus 12. False acacia Robinia Leguminosae 4 N+P pseudoacacia
13. Gulmohar Jacaranda Bignoniaceae 4-5 N mimosaefolia
14. Bird’s foot Lotus Leguminosae 4-5 N treefoil corniculatus
15. Daru Punica Punicaceae 4-5 N+P granatum
16. Toon Toona ciliata Meliaceae 4-5 N+P
17. Sunflower Helianthus Compositae 4-7 N+P annuus
18. Shisham Dalbergia Leguminosae 4 N+P sissoo
19. Wild rose Rosa moschata Rosaceae 4-6 N+P
20. Ber Zizyphus jujuba Rhamanaceae 5-7 N
21. Ohi Albizia Mimosaceae 5-6 N chinensis
22. Khair Acacia catechu Mimosaceae 5-7 N
23. Bhang Cannabis sativa Cannabaceae 7-9 P
24. Maize Zea mays Graminae 8-9 P
25. Shain Plectranthus Labiatae 8-10 N+P rugosus
26. Cruciferous Brassica spp Cruciferae 10-4 N+P oil seeds
27. Wild cherry Prunus puddum Rosaceae 10-11 N+P
28. Rubber Hevea Euphorbiaceae - N brasiliensis
29. Soapnut Sapindus spp Sapindaceae 10-12 N
Qualities of a Good Bee Flora
For commercial beekeeping, large crop acreage with good floral qualities is required. A beekeeper must have the details about the availability and suitability of bee flora. Following are the qualities of good bee flora:
Long flowering period High density of flowers per unit of the plants Good quality of nectar with high concentration of sugars Easy accessibility of the nectaries to the honey bees and ease in collection of nectar Availability of flora in the close vicinity of the apiary
Important Honey Flow Sources in India
Flora secreting abundance of nectar and having large plantations is known as honey flow source. But to avail honey flow colonies should have peaked their population by this time. Some of important honey flow sources are: eucalyptus, brassica (sarson & toria), toon, soapnut, citrus, litchi, berseem, rubber, cotton, plectranthus, jamun, buckwheat, sunflower, shisham, acacia etc.
FLORAL CATEGORIES i) Major utility source (9 spp.) ii) Medium utility source (17 spp.) iii) Minor utility source (23 spp.) iv) Poor utility source (123 spp.)
BEE FLORA OF THE PUNJAB, ITS RELATIVE UTILITY AND CALENDAR OF AVAILABILITY TO HONEY BEES Bee flora Availability Relative utility Common name Botanical name Period Source Category Peach Prunus sp. 1-2 np Medium Citrus Citrus spp. 1-4 np Medium Fenugreek Trigonella sp. 1-3 np Medium Sunflower Helianthus annus 1-12 np Major Pear Pyris pyrifolia 2-8 np Medium Onion Allium cepa 3-4 np Medium Shisham Dalbergia sissoo 3-4 np Medium Celery Apium praveolens 3-4 np Medium Litchi Litchi chinensis 3-4 np Medium Cucurbits Cucumis spp. 5-10 np Medium Citrullus spp. 5-10 np Medium Cucurbita spp. 5-10 n+p Medium Luffa spp.etc. 5-10 n+p Medium Guava Psidium guajava 4-5,8-9 np Medium Egyptian Clover Trifolium 4-6 np Major Alexandrinum Puncture vine Tirbulus terrestris 4-10 np Medium Okra Abelomoschus 5-9 np Medium esculentus Maize Zea mays 5-9 p Medium Hogweed Boerhaavia repense 7-9 np Medium Asiatic cotton Gossypium arboreum 8-9 np Medium
American cotton Gossypium hirsutum 8-10 np Medium
Ber Zizyphus spp. 8-10 np Medium Acacia Acacia arabica 7-10 np Medium Pigeonpea Cajanus cajan 9-10 Major Indian rapeseed Brassica campestris 10-11 np Major var. toria Eucalyptus Eucalyptus spp. 11-4 np Major Rocket Eruca sativa 12-8 np Medium European Brassica napus 12-3 np Major mustard Indian Brassica juncea 12-3 np Major mustard
Bee visits plants for its food, nectar and pollen. This floral fidelity of bees is due to their preference for nectars having sugar contents and pollens with higher nutritive values. Besides getting food for the bees as a result of their visit pollinate a number of crops.
Qualities of honeybees which make them good pollinators
Body covered with hairs and has structural adaptation for carrying nectar and pollen. Bees do not injure the plants Adult and larva feed on nectar and pollen which is available in plenty Considered as superior pollinators, since store pollen and nectar for future use No diapauses is observed and needs pollen throughout the year Body size and proboscis length is very much suitable for many crops Pollinate wide variety of crops Forage in extreme weather conditions also
Effect of bee pollination on crop
It increases yield in terms of seed yield and fruit yield in many crops It improves quality of fruits and seeds Bee pollination increases oil content of seeds in sunflower Bee pollination is a must in some self incompatible crops for seed set Crops benefited by bee pollination Fruits and nuts: Almond, apple, apricot, peach, strawberry, citrus and litchi Vegetable and Vegetable seed crops: Cabbage, cauliflower, carrot, coriander, cucumber, melon, onion, pumpkin, radish and turnip. Oil seed crops: Sunflower, niger, rape seed, mustard, safflower, gingelly. Forage seed crops: Lucerne, clover.
Yield increase due to bee pollination
Crop Per cent yield increase Mustard 43 Sunflower 32-48 Cotton 17-19 Lucerne 112 Onion 93 Apple 44
Scope of beekeeping for pollination in India: Total area of bee dependant crops in India is around 50 million hectare. One hundred and fifty million colonies are needed to meet this, at the rate of 3 colonies per hectare. In India at present, there are only 1.2 million colonies exist. Hence there is a wide scope for expansion of bee keeping for pollination in India.
Management of bees for pollination
. Place hives very near the field source to save bee's energy . Migrate colonies near field at 10 per cent flowering . Place colonies at 3/ha for Italian bee and 5/ha for Indian honey bee . The colonies should have 5 to 6 frame strength of bees, with sealed brood and young mated queen . Allow sufficient space for pollen and honey storage
Pollination by bees - case studies with selected crops 1. Sunflower: It is a cross-pollinated crop. The pollen of the plant cannot fertilize ovary of same plant. Pollen source should be from different plant. Hence, honey bees acts as important agents for pollination in sunflower. In sunflower, yield increases even up to 600 per cent due to bee pollination. It improves quality and quantity of seeds. Oil content also increases by 6.5 per cent in seeds. To achieve this it requires five strong C. indica colonies or three A. mellifera colonies. Mostly irrigated crop is preferred by bees.
2. Cucurbitaceous vegetables: Cucurbits are monoecious with staminate and pistillate flowers in same plant. Due to bee pollination fruit set increases up to 30 to 100 per cent.
3. Alfalfa or lucerne: These plants have tubular flowers with 5 petals joined at base. They posses one large standard petal, 2 smaller petals on sides and 2 keel petals holding staminal column. When bee sits on a keel petal, stamina column strikes against standard petal resulting in shattering of pollen. This is called tripping. Seed set occurs only if bee sits to trips the flowers.
4. Coriander: In coriander yield increases up to 187 per cent due to pollination.
5. Cardamom: It is an important commercial crop depending on bees for pollination. Here yield increases up to 21 to 37 per cent.
6. Gingelly: Another oilseed crop where bee pollination causes 25 per cent increase in yield.
7. Apple: In apple seed set occurs only if it is pollinated by bees. Fruit is formed only around the seeds. If improper seed set occurs fruit shape is lopsided resulting in decreased market value.
Sunflower Alfalfa or Lucerne
The following are some of the important plants either wild or cultivated visited by bees for collecting nectar or pollen or both.
Other fruit Trees All kinds of citrus, litchi, peach, apple, guava, jamun, date palm, apricot, quince, pear, almond, plum, loquat, phalsa, and cashew.
Honey bee on acid lime flower Cultivated field crops Pigeon pea, lentils, clovers, Lucerne, mustard, rape, linseed, sesame, gingelly, buck-wheat, Cambodia, safflower, millet and sunflower
Vegetables All cucurbitaceous plants, okra, beans, turnip, radish, onion, brinjal, and sweet potato.
Timber trees Neem, Cassia fistula, Acacia, Albizzia spp., Kachnar (Bauhinia purpurea), eucalyptus, sandle- wood, raintree, wild cherry.
Natural and ornamental flowers Cosmos, shoe flower, Golden rod, Cup & saucer, Tecoma stans, zinnia, coral creeper (Antigonon leptopus), rose, rangoon creeper, aster, wild rose (kuja), hydrangea, violet, portulaca, poinsettia, honey suckle, corn flower, coreopsis, dandelion etc.
Cosmos Hibiscus Golden rod
Aster Tecoma stans Zinnia
Edward rose Coral creeper Rangoon creeper It is now apparent that most of the pulses and oilseeds, fruits and orchard crops including vegetables heavily depend on bees for their pollination. This is also true for seed production of vegetables like onion, cabbage, cauliflower, tabacco, sunnhemp, alfa alfa and clovers. The number of colonies of honeybees required per hectare very much depends on the strength of foraging bees in the colony, the crops and prevailing weather conditions. The optimum number of colonies of average strength may range from 3 to 9 colonies per hectare, since the bees usually forage within a radius of about 1 to 2 km to harvest their nectar and pollen loads, and then return to their own hive.
Question to be answer:
Q1. What is bee flora? Write down the good qualities of bee flora.
Q2. Enlist five plants which are good source of nectar only.
Q3. Write down scientific names of any ten plants which are good source of nectar as well as pollen.
Q4. Write down the names of the plant which are good source of pollen or nectar or both available in your locality.
References http://ecoursesonline.iasri.res.in/mod/page/view.php?id=16223 http://agritech.tnau.ac.in/farm_enterprises/fe_api_beefloraapollin.html