EFFICACY OF STINGLESS BEE LEPIDOTRIGONA TERMINATA AS INSECT POLLINATOR OF F1 HYBRID CUCUMBER

Abstract

This research aimed to study the efficacy of stingless bee Lepidotrigona terminata as insect pollinator of F1 Hybrid cucumber. The experiments were conducted at experimental farm of the Faculty of Agricultural Technology, Rajamangala University of Technology, Thanyaburi. The experiment was divided into two parts. The first part, efficacy study of stingless bee as insect pollinator of F1 hybrid cucumber was studied. Experimental design used was Randomized Block Design with four treatments and three replications which were opened – pollination, handed – pollination, stingless bee – pollination, and closed – pollination. The results revealed that cucumber fruit sets were found only in opened – pollination and handed – pollination treatments, with 9.33 and 12.66 fruits, respectively. While no fruit set was found in another two treatments which were closed and stingless bee – pollinations. Second, species diversity and numbers of insect pollinators that visited cucumber flowers during 6.00 a.m. – 18.00 p.m. were determined. As a result, four insect species had visited cucumber flower and the most abundant visitor was European bees (Apis mellifera) that had visited, both male and female cucumber flowers at 09.00 a.m.