Abstract
Insect pollinator diversity is key to ensuring adequate fruit yields within avocado orchards. Bee and non-bee insect species in avocado growing areas worldwide, has been considered as potential pollinators. Despite of this information in Tanzania there has been little research into which pollinator insect species diversity visit avocado flowers during flowering season. The study was conducted at Jaegetal avocado orchard from 450 trees of Hass variety planted at spacing of 10m x 10m. Sample size was 10 trees were used to generate pollinator’s population estimates. The orchard is located at S04˚47ʹ41.7ʹʹ and E038˚13ʹ11.8ʹʹ. Sweep net, forceps and aspirator were used to estimate pollinator’s diversity during avocado production season 2018/19.
 The results showed a total of 115 individuals were sampled and honey bees were more abundant flower visitors representing 60% of all insects recorded. The second species observed included the stingless bee representing (26%), followed by tachnid fly (6%) and hoverfly (6%). The least species in abundance was ants (1%) and wasps (1%). Mean population comparison there was significant differences P< 0.005.Understanding pollinators species diversity interaction between honey bee and other flower visitor’s abundances within and outside orchards could assist in improving pollination recommendations in avocado growing areas.
Highlights
Avocado (Persea americana), native to CentralAmerica and Mexico, is an evergreen subtropical fruiting tree grown for commercially in the tropics (Evans et al, 2010)
During the study period honey bees were observed as an important pollinators and their efficiency was due to the large number of forager bees
Findings from this study showed that honey bee or sting bee (Apis mellifera) and non-sting bee (Meliponinae Apidae)as one of the potential pollinators in avocado orchard
Summary
Avocado (Persea americana), native to CentralAmerica and Mexico, is an evergreen subtropical fruiting tree grown for commercially in the tropics (Evans et al, 2010). Insect pollination has been shown to beessential for fruit production (Ish-Am & Lahav 2011). A wide range of insect pollinators has been reported worldwide including bees, wasps (Hymenoptera) and flies (Diptera) (Kevan & Baker, 1983; Perez-Balam et al, 2012). Pollinators including honeybee, wild pollinators requires diverse plants to provide sustainable biological insurance for pollination activity in avocado orchard (Ssymank et al, 2008). Http://www.granthaalayah.com ©International Journal of Research - GRANTHAALAYAH [20]. Honey bees as a native pollinator pollinate more than 80% of cultivated and non-cultivated plants
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