Influence of Pollinator Attractant Crops on Abundance of Honeybees and Yield Parameters of Onion

Abstract

The experiment was conducted during the rabi season (November, 2021 to May, 2022) at the Sidapur farm, University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad, Karnataka, India to comprehensively study the influence that various pollinator attractant crops can have on both the abundance of honeybees and the yield parameters associated with onion crop. To facilitate this study, two distinct rows of marginal crops composed of coriander, buckwheat, carrot, radish, fennel, and black cumin were intentionally grown all along the borders of the onion crop fields. The results of the study revealed that the highest level of activity among pollinators was observed in the plots of onion that included coriander as the marginal crop, which was closely followed by the onion fields that were bordered with buckwheat. Furthermore, the highest diversity indices for pollinators i.e., Shannon-Wiener and Simpson’s diversity index (H and 1-D, respectively), were prominently recorded in the situation where onions were bordered with coriander. In addition, both the quantitative and the qualitative parameters were noted to be significantly higher in the treatment of onion with coriander as a border crop. It was also observed that the bees, which were attracted towards the flowering border crops, subsequently shifted their focus to the main onion crop, thereby providing essential pollination services right from the very first flower that opened. This phenomenon ultimately contributed to an overall enhancement in both the quantity and quality of seeds produced in the main crop, leading to improved agricultural outcomes.