Evaluation of Native Stingless Bee Species (Heterotrigona itama and Geniotrigona thoracica) for Pollination Efficiency on Melon Manis Terengganu

Wahizatul Afzan Azmi; Wan Zaliha Wan Sembok; Siti Noraishah  Mohd Nasaruddin; Nur Syazana  Azli; Muhammad Firdaus Mohd Hatta; Tengku Norulhuda  Tg Muhammad

doi:10.55230/mabjournal.v51i5.2360

Authors

Wahizatul Afzan Azmi
wahizatul@umt.edu.my
Faculty of Science Marine and Environment, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030 Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia
Wan Zaliha Wan Sembok Faculty of Fisheries and Food Science, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030 Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4785-6557
Siti Noraishah Mohd Nasaruddin Faculty of Science Marine and Environment, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030 Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia
Nur Syazana Azli Faculty of Science Marine and Environment, Universiti Malaysia Terengganu, 21030 Kuala Nerus, Terengganu, Malaysia
Muhammad Firdaus Mohd Hatta
Tengku Norulhuda Tg Muhammad Taman Kekal Pengeluaran Makanan (TKPM) Peradong, Manir, 21200 Kuala Terengganu, Terengganu, Malaysia

Keywords:

Geniotrigona thoracica, Heterotrigona itama, melon, pollination, stingless bee

Abstract

Melon Manis Terengganu (MMT) is a newly developed melon cultivar that is exclusively planted in Terengganu and has monoecious flowers where female and male parts are in different flowers of the same plant. Current practise for MMT pollination mainly depends on humans by hand-cross pollination treatment. However, until now little study on the potential of stingless bees as pollinator for greenhouse MMT has been documented in Malaysia. In this study, two species of stingless bees, Heterotrigona itama and Geniotrigona thoracica were placed with the MMT in the greenhouse. This study is aimed to investigate and compare the quality of MMT produced by four different pollination treatments; (1) self-pollination, (2) hand-cross pollination, (3) H. itama pollination and (4) G. thoracica pollination. Two hives of each stingless bee species were placed into the greenhouse at least two days before the MMT flowers bloomed. MMT produced from pollination by both stingless bee species and hand-cross pollination were significantly heavier in fresh weight, larger in diameter, higher in total soluble solid (TSS), and greater number of seeds per fruit compared to those produced from self-pollination. Pollination by stingless bees reached fruits with higher sweetness than hand-cross pollination and self-pollination. Results revealed that the stingless bee pollination on MMT production was similar to the MMT produced from hand-cross pollination. This study provides essential information on the potential of native stingless bees, H.itama and G. thoracica which can be effective pollinators for the MMT grown in the greenhouse besides manual pollination.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

Metrics

Metrics Loading ...

References

Azmi, W.A., Samsuri, N., Hatta, M.F.M., Ghazi, R. & Seng, C.T. 2017. Effects of stingless bee (Heterotrigona itama) pollination on greenhouse cucumber (Cucumis sativus). Malaysian Applied Biology Journal, 46(1): 51-55.

Azmi, W.A., Wan Sembok, W.Z., Yusuf, N., Mohd. Hatta, M.F., Salleh, A.F., Hamzah, M.A.H., & Ramli, S.N. 2019. Effects of pollination by the Indo-Malaya stingless bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae) on the quality of greenhouse-produced rockmelon. Journal of Economic Entomology, 112(1): 20-24. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/jee/toy290

Beaulieu, J.C. & Gorny, J.R. 2001. Fresh-cut fruits. In: K. C. Gross, M. E. Saltveit & C. Y. Wang (Eds.). The commercial storage of fruits, vegetables, and florist and nursery stocks. Agriculture Handbook 66, Department of Agriculture, Washington, DC. pp. 1–49.

Burger Y., Sa’ar U., Paris H.S., Lewinsohn E., Katzir N., Tadmor Y. & Schaffer, A.A. 2006. Genetic variability as a source of new valuable fruit quality traits in Cucumis melo. Israel Journal of Plant Science, 54: 233-242. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1560/IJPS_54_3_233

Cauich, O., Quezada Euan, J.J.G., Ramírez, V.M., Valdovinos-Nuñez, G.R. & Moo-Valle, H. 2006. Pollination of habanero pepper (Capsicum chinense) and production in enclosures using the stingless bee Nannotrigona perilampoides. Journal of Apicultural Research, 45(3): 125-130. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/00218839.2006.11101330

Cruz, D.D.O., Freitas, B.M., Silva, L.A.D., Silva, E.M.S. & Bomfim, I.G.A. 2005. Pollination efficiency of the stingless bee Melipona subnitida on greenhouse sweet pepper. Pesquisa Agropecuária Brasileira, 40(12): 1197-1201. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1590/S0100-204X2005001200006

Del Sarto, M.C., Peruquetti, R.C. & Campos, L.A. 2005. Evaluation of the Neotropical stingless bee Melipona quadrifasciata (Hymenoptera: Apidae) as pollinator of greenhouse tomatoes. Journal of Economic Entomology. 98: 260–266. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/jee/98.2.260

Department of Agriculture Terengganu. 2019. Data on melon manis Terengganu. Green Dish. URL http://melonmanisterengganu.blogspot.com/2018/ (accessed 09.18.2022)

Heard, T.A. 1999. The role of stingless bees in crop pollination. The Annual Review of Entomology, 44(1): 183-206. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.ento.44.1.183

Klatt, B.K., Holzschuh, A., Westphal, C., Clough, Y., Smit, I., Pawelzik, E. & Tscharntke, T. 2014. Bee pollination improves crop quality, shelf life and commercial value. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, 281(1775): 20132440. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2013.2440

Mahmud, S.S., Jamaludin, M.N. Mohamad Roff., A.H., Ab. Halim., A.M., Mohamad, A. & Suwardi. 2009. Manual teknologi fertigasi penanaman cili, rock melon dan tomato. Institusi Penyelidikan dan Kemajuan Pertanian Malaysia (MARDI), Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

Michener, C.D. 2007. The Bees of the World. 2nd Ed. The Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore, Maryland.

Mohd Norowi, M.H., Mohd, F., Sajap, A., Rsliza, J.S. & Suri, R. 2010. Conservation and sustainable utilization of stingless bees for pollination services in agricultural ecosystems in Malaysia. In: International Seminar on Enhancement of Functional Biodiversity Relevent to Sustainable Food Production in ASPAC. National Institute for Agro-Environmental Sciences, Tsukuba, Japan.

Nishiyama K., Guis M., Rose J.K.C., Kubo Y., Bennet K.A., Wangjin K., Kato K., Ushijima K., Nakano R., Inaba A., Bouzayen M., Latché A., Pech J.C. & Benet A.B. 2007. Ethylene regulation of fruit softening and cell wall disassembly in Charentais melon. Journal of Experimental Botany, 58(6): 1281-1290. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/jxb/erl283

Nunes-Silva, P., Hrncir, M., da Silva, C.I., Roldão, Y.S. & Imperatriz-Fonseca, V.L. 2013. Stingless bees, Melipona fasciculata, as efficient pollinators of eggplant (Solanum melongena) in greenhouses. Apidologie, 44(5): 537-546. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13592-013-0204-y

Putra, R.E., Permana, A.D. & Kinasih, I. 2014. Application of Asiatic honey bees (Apis cerana) and stingless bees (Trigona laeviceps) as pollinator agents of hot pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) at local Indonesia farm system. Psyche: A Journal of Entomology, 2014: 1-5. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1155/2014/687979

Ramalho, M., Giannini, T.C., Malagodi-Braga, K.S. & Imperatriz-Fonseca, V.L. 1994. Pollen harvest by stingless bee foragers (Hymenoptera, Apidae, Meliponinae). Grana, 33(4-5): 239-244. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/00173139409429005

Richards, A.J. 1997. Plant Breeding System. Chapman & Hall, London. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-3043-9

Roselino A.C, Santos S.B, Hrncir M. & Bego, L.R. 2009 Differences between the quality of strawberries (Fragaria x ananassa) pollinated by the stingless bees Scaptotrigona aff. depilis and Nannotrigona testaceicornis. Genetics and Molecular Biology, 8(2): 539–545. DOI: https://doi.org/10.4238/vol8-2kerr005

Santos, S.A., Roselino, A.C. & Bego, L.R. 2008. Pollination of cucumber, Cucumis sativus L. (Cucurbitales: Cucurbitaceae) by the stingless bees Scaptotrigona aff. depilis Moure and Nannotrigona testaceicornis Lepeletier (Hymenoptera: Meliponini) in greenhouses. Neotropical Entomology, 37(5): 506-512. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1590/S1519-566X2008000500002

Slaa, E.J., Chaves, L.A.S., Malagodi-Braga, K.S. & Hofstede, F.E. 2006. Stingless bees in applied pollination: practice and perspectives. Apidologie, 37(2): 293-315. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1051/apido:2006022

Syahidah, K. Rosnah, S. Noranizan, M.A., Zaulia, O. & Anvarjon, A. 2015. Quality changes of fresh cut cantaloupe (Cucumis melo L. var. Reticulatus cv. Glamour) in different types of polypropylene packaging. International Food Research Journal, 22: 753-760.

Tepedino, V.J. 1981. The pollination efficiency of the squash bee (Peponapis pruinosa) and the honey bee (Apis mellifera) on summer squash (Cucurbita pepo). Journal of the Kansas Entomological Society, 54: 359-377.

Yong, J.K. & Shafqat, S. 2003. Effect of temperature on the foraging activity of Bombus terrestris L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae) on greenhouse hot pepper (Capsicum annuum L.). Applied Entomology and Zoology, 38(3): 275-280. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1303/aez.2003.275