Effects of Age and Layers of Trees and Temperature on Nectar Volume and Concentration of Croton Macrostachyus Hochst. ex Delile

Abstract

Croton macrostachyus Hochst.ex Delile is a species of the genus Croton, Euphorbiaceae family, commonly known as the spurge family and it is known as major honeybee forages having more nectar and the study was carried out to evaluate effects of its layers, and age and temperature on its nectar volume and concentration. Nectar is a floral resource commonly sought after by plant visitors, because of its nutritional importance. Effects of temperature, layers of trees and plants age on nectar volume and concentration of youngest, medium and oldest age of croton was measured. Results indicated that nectar concentrations and volume of youngest age were no more affected by temperature like that of medium and oldest age. Temperature and age has significant effect on volume (p = 0.0001) and their interactions is also significant (p = 0.012).Temperature has significant effects on nectar concentration (p = 0.000). Oldest plants had highest concentration of 10.1 w/w morning and afternoon 36.5 w/w at 4:00 PM for whereas medium plants had nectar concentration of 5.7 w/w morning and afternoon 16.7 w/w and the smallest had nectar concentration of 2.7 w/w morning and afternoon 9.1 w/w. I conclude that future temperature rise could have negative effect on nectar secreation for honey productions since for croton also no nectar secreation was observed after peak temperature of its nectar secreation that was 30°C. Studying factors affecting nectar volume and concentrations is important to increase productions and the productivity of honey to generate income and for medicinal value of honey. Keywords : Age of trees ,Croton macrostachyus , nectar concentration, nectar volume, temperature, trees layers DOI: 10.7176/JNSR/11-18-01 Publication date: September 30 th 2020