Evaluation of yield component traits of Honeybee-Pollinated (Apis mellifera L.) Rapeseed Canola (Brassica napus L.)
Evaluation of yield component traits of Honeybee-Pollinated (Apis mellifera L.) Rapeseed Canola (Brassica napus L.)
Authors
Araneda Durán, Ximena
Breve Ulloa, Rodrigo
Aguilera Carrillo, José
Lavín Contreras, Jorge
Toneatti Bastidas, Marcelo
Breve Ulloa, Rodrigo
Aguilera Carrillo, José
Lavín Contreras, Jorge
Toneatti Bastidas, Marcelo
Authors
Date
2011-06-12
Datos de publicación:
Keywords
Polinización - Colmenas - Abejas
Collections
Abstract
Recent introduction of hybrid varieties raises the question if bees (Apis mellifera L.) contribute as pollinator agents
in developing the full yield potential of rapeseed (Brassica napus L.). In order to evaluate the yield achieved by
B. napus cv. Artus pollinated by A. mellifera testing was carried out in the district of Freire, La Araucanía Region,
Chile. This consisted in isolating or excluding rapeseed plants from pollinators with exclusion cages. Treatments
applied were total exclusion (T1), partial exclusion (T2) and free pollination (T0) with a density of 6.5 hives ha-1,
in order to determine the following yield components traits: grains per silique, siliques per plant, 1000 grain weight
and yield. The experimental design used was randomized complete blocks with three treatments and three replicates.
Results obtained show that the parameter least affected by bee intervention was the grains per silique variable. In
contrast, siliques per plant and 1000 grain weight parameters presented significant differences, contributing to a
yield greater than 5 t ha-1; which represented a figure 50.34% higher than in the treatment without bees. It may be
concluded that the inclusion of bees in crops is fully justified as a production tool.