Effect on Pollinating Activities on Mango Flower by Bumblebee (Bombus terrestris), Honeybee (Apis mellifera) and Oriental Latrine Fly (Chrysomyia megacephala) in Green House

Abstract

Mango is becoming more economically important, value-added crop in Jeju island of Korea. Its pollination was achieved by the release of oriental latrine fly, Chrysomyia megacephala which is being used for pollinator in mango fruit. Two kinds of another pollinator, Apis mellifera and Bombus terrestris, were used in analyzing and surveying of foraging activities on mango fruit in Seogwipo-si. Variety of mango fruit (Irwin) was used in this experiment. Foraging activity of A. mellifera and B. terrestris were high on 11 AM in hive, and normal foraging activity was high temperature condition (28°C). Pollinating ratio of B. terrestris was shown 100% and over 95% in case of A. mellifera. This ratio suggest that the two species of insects are effective as pollinator on mango fruit compared with Chrysomyia megacephala. Daily pollinating activity of A. mellifera and B. terrestris was shown peak in 11 AM, while C. megacephala showed even activity from 9 AM to 3 PM. Fruit set ratio of mango pollinated by A. mellifera showed higher with 2.1% than by B. terrestris and C. megacephala with 1.5% respectively in 1st time (1 month after blooming), but 3 species of pollinator showed same results with 0.3% in 2nd time. This results suppose that because only 10% of normal pistil and stamen exist on same flower in case of mango flower, fruit set ratio of mango flower shows lower tendency originally than other fruit crops. Abnormal fruit set ratio pollinated by B. terrestris was showed lowest with 12.1% compared with another 2 species of pollinator. In conclusion, method of using B. terrestris seems to be effective to increase productivity in pollinating mango flowers.