Pollinator’s diversity and abundance on cumin (Cuminum cyminum L.) and their impact on yield enhancement at semi-arid regions

The present investigation was conducted to study pollinator’s diversity and abundance on cumin (Cuminum cyminum L.) and their impact on yield enhancement under semi-arid regions during 2015-16 and 2016-17 at research farm of ICAR-NRC on Seed Spices, Ajmer (Rajasthan), India. Cumin flowers were visited by 20 species of insects belonging to 11 families from 6 orders. Apoidea (62.4%) and Diptera (27.5%) were the two major groups comprising 89.9% of the total visitors. Apis florea was the most dominant species (31.2%) followed by A. mellifera (16.9%), A. dorsata (13.4%), Episyrphus balteatus (13.0%) and Musca sp. l (9.6%). A. mellifera and A. dorsata started foraging early at 8.00 h and A. florea at 9.00, peaked from 12.00 to 14.00 hr and declined drastically thereafter. Non-Apis pollinators were visited cumin flowers early morning by 6.00 hr with meagre in population and present throughout the day with two peaks between 11.00 to 13.00 hr, while E. balteatus reached to its peak at 15.00 hr. Most of floral visitors ceased their population and few were negligible at 18.00 hr. Population dynamics of most abundant pollinators were recorded during fourth week of February. A minimum yield of 364.50 kg/ha was recorded in caged plots without insect pollinators (control). Yields in open and bee pollinated plots were 515.30 and 510.41 kg/ha, with an increase of 41.37 and 40.03% over without insect pollinated plots, respectively but at par with each other. Maximum yield was in plots treated with bee attractant -Jaggery solution 10% (520.83 kg/ha) which was 42.88% higher over control and 1.07 and 2.04% higher over open pollinated and bee pollinated plots. Bee pollination also increased quality of cumin seed over control (WIP).