Diversity, abundance of insect pollinators and impact of mode of pollination on yield of carrot (Daucus carota L.) in India

Biodiversity of pollinators on carrot cv. Hisar Gairic (Daucus carota L.), was studied in Hisar, Haryana, India. Total thirty three insect species belonging to sixteen families of six orders were recorded, in which, eleven belong to order Lepidoptera, twelve Hymenoptera, six Diptera, three Coleoptera, and one belongs to Odonata. Among the insect pollinators, Apis florea F., A. cerana indica F., A. mellifera L. and A. dorsata F. were the most frequent pollinators. Among different Apis species, A. florea spent the maximum time (4.87 sec/umbelet) followed by A. mellifera (1.90 sec/umbelet), A. cerana (1.16 sec/umbelet) and the least in case of A. dorsata, i.e., 0.94 sec. The yield per plant, yield per m2 area, test weight and germination per cent in case of open pollination were 11.11 g, 61.38 g, 4.14 g and 80.00%, respectively, whereas, in case of without insect pollination, it was 4.63 g, 25.06 g, 3.17 g and 53.29% and in case of Hand Pollination 8.36 g, 46.29 g, 3.66 g and 66.57%, respectively, which was significantly higher in case of open pollination. Hence, insect pollinators were essential to get good returns in this seed crop.