COMPOSITION AND FREQUENCY OF FLOWER VISITORS IN SOME VARIETIES OF MELON UNDER DIFFERENT CROP CONDITIONS1

EVA MONICA SARMENTO DA SILVA,MÁRCIA DE SOUSA COELHO,LÚCIA HELENA PIEDADE KIILL,MÁRCIA DE FÁTIMA RIBEIRO,MARA POLINE DA SILVA

doi:10.1590/1983-21252021v34n425rc

EVA MONICA SARMENTO DA SILVA, MÁRCIA DE SOUSA COELHO + Show 3 more

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https://doi.org/10.1590/1983-21252021v34n425rc

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Abstract

ABSTRACT Previous investigations showed that diverse varieties of melon may have different attractiveness for bees. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the composition, frequency and behavior of flower visitors of some melon (Cucumis melo) cultivars (Amarelo, Pele de Sapo, Cantaloupe, Gália) in different conditions (conventional and organic farming, dry and rainy seasons, with and without mulching and introduction or not of honey bee hives) in the main production poles in the Brazilian Northeast (Petrolina-PE/Juazeiro-BA, Pacajus-CE and Mossoro-RN). Observations and collections of flower visitors occurred from 5p.m. to 6p.m, in non-consecutive days. We recorded 12 species of insects, mostly bees. The most frequent was Apis mellifera (99.68%), but other species appeared sporadically (less than 0.5%): Xylocopa grisescens, Trigona spinipes, Plebeia sp., Melipona mandacaia, Frieseomelitta doedereleini, Halicitidae. Apis mellifera was present in all studied cultivars and sites. Xylocopa grisescens appeared in two poles, but not in Pacajus-CE, Amarelo cultivar. In addition, Trigona spinipes, although present in the three poles, was not recorded on Pele de Sapo. The Amarelo cultivar, under organic farming, without the use of mulching, and presence of honey bee hives, in the Petrolina-PE/Juazeiro-BA pole, in the dry season, was the combination of factors showing the largest number of Apis mellifera as the main visitor of melon flowers.

Highlights

Research has shown that 87.5% species of plants that flower present the need for pollinator visits, being considered essential for agricultural production (OLLERTON et al, 2012; IMPERATRIZ-FONSECA et al, 2012; GIANNINI et al, 2015 a, b).The melon (Cucumis melo L.) belongs to the family Cucurbitacea, and has flowers that are very attractive to visitors, especially because they produce nectar and/or pollen as floral resources
Apis mellifera was the main pollinating agent of melon because it is very common in all environments, is present in adequate number and has a foraging behavior that can effectively transfer pollen from the anthers to the stigmas
It was reaffirmed that other bees can contribute to the pollination of melon, in addition to managed bees (KLEIN et al, 2020)

Summary

Introduction

The melon (Cucumis melo L.) belongs to the family Cucurbitacea, and has flowers that are very attractive to visitors, especially because they produce nectar and/or pollen as floral resources Because such plants have heavy pollen grains, which are difficult to be carried by the wind, their pollination is entomophilous, that is, insects are the main floral visitors (KIILL et al, 2011). Among visitors to this crop, honey bees (Apis mellifera L.) stand out as effective pollinators, visiting melon flowers throughout the day (SIQUEIRA et al, 2011) in search of nectar and pollen, at certain times they give preference to one or the other resource (RIBEIRO et al, 2017). In the Sub-Middle São Francisco Valley, it was determined that for 1 hectare of planted area, four honey bee hives are sufficient to obtain commercial quality fruits (RIBEIRO et al, 2015)

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