Original scientific paper
ATTENDANCE OF SUNFLOWER (HELIANTHUS ANNUUS L.) BY HONEY BEE (APIS MELLIFERA L.) IN AGRO-ECO SYSTEM OF BARANJA COUNTY
Ras Lužaić
; Poljoprivredni fakultet Sveučilišta u Osijeku, Osijek, Hrvatska
Zlatko Puškadija
; Poljoprivredni fakultet Sveučilišta u Osijeku, Osijek, Hrvatska
Tihomir Florijančić
; Poljoprivredni fakultet Sveučilišta u Osijeku, Osijek, Hrvatska
Anđelko Opačak
; Poljoprivredni fakultet Sveučilišta u Osijeku, Osijek, Hrvatska
Ivica Bošković
; Poljoprivredni fakultet Sveučilišta u Osijeku, Osijek, Hrvatska
Dinko Jelkić
; Poljoprivredni fakultet Sveučilišta u Osijeku, Osijek, Hrvatska
Abstract
The current research investigates attendance of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) by honeybee (Apis mellifera L.). The research was conducted in a field experiment in random block arrangement which included 6 most represented hybrids of mercantile sunflower on fields of continental Croatia. Measurement was conducted at 100, 200 and 300 meters distance from beehives. During the investigation different attractiveness of each hybrid for honeybee was observed. Statistical analyses showed statistically significant difference between the hybrid H2, which was the least attended, and the hybrid H4, which was the most attended. Data analysis also showed that honeybees attended the least sunflowers which were 200m distant from hives. At 100 and 300 m distance no statistically significant differences were found. Honeybee was estimated as the most represented pollinator of sunflower during the blooming period: it was recorded in 99.53% of measurement; bumblebee (Bombus spp.) was recorded in 0.32% of measurement, while the fly Volucella zonaria was recorded in 0.15% of measurement. Very small number of natural pollinators observed is an indicator of significant decrease of their population in the agro-eco system of Baranja County.
Keywords
Apis mellifera carnica; climatic conditions; pollination; Bombus spp
Hrčak ID:
27010
URI
Publication date:
25.7.2008.
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