IJERD – International Journal of Environmental and Rural Development (2012) 3-2

Research article
erdPollination of Apis mellifera and Trigona biroi on theProductivity of Solanaceous Crops
JOSE T. TRAVERO*
Bohol Island State University, Bohol, Philippines
Email: jose_travero@yahoo.com

IAN L. NUEZ
Bohol Island State University, Bohol, Philippines

WELLIE S. SAGLIBA
Bohol Island State University, Bohol, Philippines
Received 16 December 2011

Accepted 12 March 2012(*: Corresponding Author)

Abstract This study was conducted to determine the effects of bee pollinators (A. mellifera and T. biroi) on the productivity of solanaceous crops. Two observation sites were selected for conducting this study. One was intended for the A. mellifera and other site for T.
biroi. A randomized complete block design (RCBD) was laid out with four blocks andthree replicates. Solanaceous crops used in the study were eggplant, tomato and sweetpepper. Of the three solanaceous crops, analysis of variance showed that A. mellifera had ahighly significant effect at 1% level of significance on the percent pollinated flowers ofeggplant. However, both bee pollinators had shown the same significant effects on sweet
pepper and tomato. Furthermore, this study revealed that both A. mellifera and T. biroi arevery efficient pollinators of eggplant crop. Eggplant is the best solanaceous crop withhighest pollination efficiency to A. mellifera and T. biroi.
Keywords bee-pollinated, pollinators, solanaceous, stingless bees

INTRODUCTION
Pollinators strongly influence ecological relationship, ecosystem conservation and stability, genetic
variation in the plant community, floral diversity, specialization and evolution. In farmed areas,
bees are needed for the pollination of many cultivated crops for fruit and seed set and for maintaining  biodiversity  in  ‘islands’  of  non-cultivated areas. The main role of bees in the different ecosystems is their pollination work.
Being tropical, stingless bees are active all the year round although they are less active incooler weather. The Trigona species is one of the known species of honeybees that are endemicallyliving in the Philippines. This kind of bees is lacking of sting; in fact, they are harmless to humans
but they defend by biting if their nest is disturbed. They are noted as good pollinators, the behaviorof the most efficient pollinators carry plenty of pollens, visit several flowers of the same species insuccession and move frequently from flower to flower and plant to plant. Foraging of these beeworkers are mainly for pollen-gathering due to a very short tongue needed for gathering nectar.
On the other hand, honeybee or Apis mellifera originated in Europe and is widely popularamong beekeepers for honey production is now widely used in commercial pollination. Beekeepers
may quote a figure, courtesy of the USDA, that honeybees pollinate 80% of the U.S. crops that require pollination. According to researches, bee pollination increased crop production by 30% (Baconawa, 2002). This was the reason why the researchers came up with this idea to study about bee
pollination among the solanaceous crops chosen for this research. Through natural pollination of
the stingless bees, it would determine if it could contribute to productivity and increase yield quality and quantity. Hence, this study was conceptualized and conducted through actual and practicalfield observations.
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OBJECTIVES
The primary aim of the study was to determine the pollination efficiency of both Honeybees (Apismellifera) and Stingless bees (Trigona biroi.) to three solanaceous crops, namely; (a) Eggplant (Solanum melongina), (b) Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum), and (c) Sweet pepper (Capsicum anuum). Specifically it sought to determine the percentage of fruit set between bee pollinated and nonbee pollinated.
METHODOLOGY
Research design and the research environment: The study on stingless bees was conducted at
the upland area of the Oikos Peace Garden in Zamora, Bilar Bohol. The type of soil was sandyloam. The solanaceous plants were exposed to sunlight during the whole day. While the honeybees
are at the Eco-farm, BISU-Bilar, Zamora, Bilar, Bohol, it is a flat open area with sufficient sunlight,
alkaline soil and good drainage.
Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) was laid out at the experimental areas. The experimental lot had an area of 263.44 sq.m. There were four blocks representing the replication that
had three plots per block measuring 3.2 m x 3.6 m per plot. One meter distance between blocks andplots served as an alleyway and at the same time the borders in the whole area. The planting distance was 60 cm. between hills and rows, allowing distance of 80 cm. in between the beepollinated and non-bee pollinated plants to provide a space for the construction of covers.
Research materials: The materials used in the study were the following: plow, meterstick, bamboo slats, wood, nails, honeybee colony, stingless bee colony, fine nets, solanaceous crops (eggplant, tomato, sweet pepper), bolo, seedling trays, vermicast, hammer, and weighing scale.
The plants opened for bee pollination were labeled Bp or Bee-pollinated, while the plants thatwere not pollinated by bees were labeled NBp or Non bee-pollinated. The code used for eggplant
was 1(one), 2 (two) for tomato and 3 (three) for sweet pepper.
Construction of net covers: The construction of net cover was done by block one month after
transplanting and after the second fertilizer application. The first ten plants from the right side of aplot were the Non-bee pollinated constructed with net covers. The net cover was 1.6 m in height.
Introduction of honeybees and stingless bees: The introduction of honeybees and stingless bees
was done before transplanting to provide enough time for them to adjust the condition of the area.
The hives were installed at a distance of 50 m. from the experimental area. Six hives were used inthe study.
Data collection and analysis: Data collection started from the flowering stage up to the fruiting
stage. Counting the flowers per hill for three times with an interval of one week was done to gather
the total number of flowers per treatment. The same process was done during the fruiting and theharvesting stages.
The gathered data were tabulated and analyzed through the assistance of the Statistician.
Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was used for the statistical treatment of data.

Fig. 1 One of the two experimental areas (left) and colonies of stingless bees
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RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Table 1 shows the average percent pollination of stingless bee. It shows that Eggplant had the highest percent of pollination of 54.80 while Tomato had the lowest percent of pollination of 32.87.
Table 1 Average percent pollination of stingless beeCropsIBlockIIIIITreatment totalIV

Treatment
mean

Eggplant
36.36
56.25
72.72
53.85
219.1854.80aSweet pepper
27.10
37.54
36.16
37.60
138.4034.60bTomato
34.13
30.59
32.32
34.45
131.4932.87bGrand Total
489.07
Grand Mean
40.76
Means within treatment mean column followed by a common letter are not significantly different at 0.05 level ofprobability using Least Significant Difference (LSD) test

Table 2 Analysis of variance on the average percent pollination of stingless bee
Source of
Variation

Degrees ofFreedom

Tabular F

Sum ofSquares

Mean
Squares

ComputedF

5%

1%

Block3328.359
Treatment
21188.56
Expt’l  Error  6421.718
Total
111938.63
cv = 20.6%, * = Significant at 5% level

109.453594.27970.2864

8.46*

5.14

10.92

Table 2 presents the analysis of variance on the average percent pollination of stingless bee. Itshows that there is significant (P<0.05) difference among treatments since the computed F value of
8.46 is higher than the Tabular F value at 5% level (5.14) but lower than 1% level (10.92) of significant. On the other hand, Eggplant is the best solanaceous crops with highest pollination efficiencyof stingless bee (Trigona biroi) compared to sweet pepper and tomato (Table 1). This implies thatstingless bees are more efficient on eggplant crops compared to sweet pepper and tomato.
Table 3 shows the average percent pollination of honey bee. It shows that eggplant had thehighest percent of pollination of 86.45 while sweet pepper had the lowest percent of pollination of25.68.
Table 3 Average percent pollination of honey bee
Crops

BlockIII

Treatment total
IIIIV

Treatment
mean

Eggplant
100.0055.69
90.11
100.00345.8086.45aSweet pepper
22.77
13.61
40.33
26.01
102.7225.68bTomato
18.88
23.22
48.12
20.18
110.4027.60bGrand Total
558.92Grand Mean
46.58
Means within treatment mean column followed by a common letter are not significantly different at 0.05 levelof probability using Least Significant Difference (LSD) test

Table 4 presents the analysis of variance on the average percent pollination of honey bee. Itshows that there is significant (P<0.01) difference among treatments since the computed F value of
28.46 is higher than the Tabular F value at 5% level (5.14) but lower than 1% level (10.92) of significant.
Furthermore, eggplant is the best solanaceous crops with highest pollination efficiency ofhoney bee (Apis millefera) compared to sweet pepper and tomato (Table 3). This implies that Honeybees are more efficient on eggplant compared to sweet pepper and tomato.

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Table 4 Analysis of variance on the average percent pollination of honey bee
Sum ofSquares

MeanSquares

ComputedF5%

Tabular F1%Block31260.66
Treatment29546.67
Expt’l  Error  61006.36
Total
1111813.70
cv = 27.8%, ** = highly significant at 1% level420.2194773.33
167.726

28.46**

5.14

10.92

Source of
Variation

Degrees ofFreedom

CONCLUSION
Based on the findings of the study, the researchers concluded that both honeybees (A. millefera)
and stingless bees (Trigona biroi) are efficient in pollinating solanaceous crops. A millefera, however is more efficient than T. biroi particularly on eggplants. This can be attributed to the bigger
size of the flower of eggplant compared to the size of the flower of other solanaceous crops understudy. Other factor could be the size of A. millefera which is obviously bigger comparatively with T.
biroi.
REFERENCES
Amano, K., Nemoto, T. and Heard, T. 2000. What are stingless bees, and why and how to use them as croppollinators? A review of JARQ 34(3), 183-90.
Baconawa, Antonio Jr. 2000. The economics of bee pollination in the Philippines.
Bispo dos Santos, Roselino, S.A.A.C., Hrncir, M. and Bego, L.R. 2009. Pollination tomatoes by the stinglessbee Melipona quadrifasciata and the honey bee Apis mellifera (Hymenoptera, Apidae), 8(2), 751-757.
Heard, T.A. 1999. The role of stingless bees (Meliponinae) in crop pollination. Annual review of entomology,
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Pollinator Partnership Protection and Funding Farm Bill Programs, 2008.
Stinglessbees-Wikipedia, The free Encyclopedia, June 2009. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/stinglessbee.
Squidoo. 2000. Stingless bees-2009, http://www.squidoo.com/stingless-bees.
Yousef Ahmad Al-abbadi, S. 2009. Efficiency of different pollination treatments on solanaceae yields grownin Plastic House. J. Biot. Sci., 9P 463-469, http://emkerci.com/articles/ns/pollination_Philippines.htm.

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