Effect of Synthetic Queen Mandibular Pheromone on Pollination of Cotton by Honey Bees, Apis mellifera

Authors: M. Keshlaf, R. Mensah, O. Nicetic, R. Spooner-Hart

Abstract:

The effectiveness of a commercial bee attractant, synthetic honey bee queen mandibular pheromone (Fruit Boost^®) for enhancing pollination of Gossypium hirsutum was evaluated in a transgenic (Bt) cotton crop. The study assessed the number of bee visitations to blossoms of plants treated with Fruit Boost^® as well, as effects on fruit set, yield, and lint quality. Bee activity on plots sprayed with pheromone concentrations of 50 and 500 queen equivalents (QEQ) /ha did not differ significantly from water-only control, on the day of application or the subsequent day. Application of the pheromone did not increase fruit set, yield, or lint quality. Two consecutive pheromone applications, applied two days apart, were not significantly different from a single application for any parameter.

Keywords: Apis mellifera, cotton, pollination, QMP pheromone

Digital Object Identifier (DOI): doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.1089381

References:

[1] J. O. Moffett, H. B. Cobb, R. D. Rummel "Bees of potential value as pollinators in the production of hybrid cottonseed on the High Plains of Texas”. In Proceedings of the Beltwide Cotton Production Research Conferences Dallas, Texas, National Cotton Council of America, Memphis, TN, pp. 268-270, 1980.
[2] B. E. Vaissiere "Honey bees Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae), as pollinators of upland cotton. G. hirsutum L. (Malvaceae) for hybrid seed production”, PhD Dissertation, Texas A&M University, 1991.
[3] J. B. Free "Insect pollination of crops” (2nd edition). Academic Press; London, UK. 648 pp, 1993.
[4] M. Keshlaf "An assessment of honey bee foraging activity and pollination efficacy in Australian Bt cotton”. PhD Dissertation, University of Western Sydney, Australia, 2009.
[5] M. El-sarrag, H. Ahmed, M. Siddig "Insect pollinators of certain crops in the Sudan and the effect of pollination on seed yield and quality. Journal of King Saud University, Agriculture Sciences, vol. 5, pp. 253-262, 1993.
[6] J. Rhodes "Cotton pollination by honey bees”, Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture, vol. 42, pp. 513-518, 2002.
[7] E. S. McGregor "Insect pollination of cultivated crop plants”, USDA Agriculture Handbook No. 496. pp. 171-189, 1976.
[8] R. A Grout "Honey bees make hybrid cotton possible”. American Bee Journal, vol. 95, pp.10-11, 1955.
[9] S. C. Jay "Spatial management of honey bees on crops”. Annual Review of Entomology vol. 18, pp. 387-391, 1986.
[10] J. B. Free "Attempts to increase pollination by spraying crops with sugar syrup”. Journal of Apicultural Research vol. 4, pp. 61-64, 1965.
[11] G. D. Waller GD Attracting honey bees to alfalfa with citral, geraniol, and anise. Journal of Apicultural Research vol. 9, pp. 9-12, 1970.
[12] H. W. Woyke "Some aspects of the role of the honey bee in onion seed production in Poland”, Acta Horticulturae vol. 11, pp. 91-98, 1981.
[13] D. F. Mayer, C. A. Johansen "Field evaluation of chemical pollinator attractants on tree fruits”, American Bee Journal vol 122, pp. 287-289, 1982.
[14] E. G. Rajotte, R. D. Fell "A commercial bee attractant inactive in enhancing apple pollination”. Hortscience vol. 17, pp. 230-231, 1982.
[15] M. Burgett, G. C. Fisher "An evaluation of Beeline as a pollinator attractant on red clover”. American Bee Journal 119: 356-357. 1979.
[16] A. Belletti , A Zani "A bee attractant for carrots grown for seed”. Sementi Elette vol. 27, pp. 23-27, (In Italian), 1981.
[17] R. Rapp "The effect of pollination by honey bees (Apis mellifera L.) on cucumber cv Delilah seed production”, MSc Thesis, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 1981.
[18] J. T. Ambrose, R. J. Schulteis, S. B. Bambara, W. Mangum "An evaluation of selected commercial bee attractants in the pollination of cucumbers and watermelons”, American Bee Journal, vol. 135, pp. 267-272, 1995.
[19] R. Margalith, Y. Lensky, H. D. Rabinowitch "An evaluation of Beeline as a honey bee attractant to cucumber and its effect on hybrid seed production”, Journal of Apicultural Research, val. 23, pp. 50-54, 1984.
[20] J. R. Schultheis, J. L. Ambrose, S. B. Bambara, W. A. Managum "Selective bee attractants did not improve cucumber and watermelon yield”, HortScience, vol. 29, pp. 255-158, 1994.
[21] P. B. Singh, S. N. Sinha "Effect of Bee-Q on honey bee visit and the seed yield of the hybrid sunflower”, Seed Research, vol. 24, pp. 151-153, 1997.
[22] D.F. Mayer, R. L. Britt, J. D. Lunden "Evaluation of BeeScentTM as a honey bee attractant:, American Bee Journal, vol. 129, pp. 41-42, 1989.
[23] G. W. Elmstrom, D. N. Maynard "Attraction honey bees to watermelon with bee attractant”. Proceedings of the Florida State Horticultural Society, vol. 103, pp. 130-133, 1990.
[24] G. M. Loper, R. M. Roselle "Experimental use of BeeScent to influence honey bee visitation and yield of watermelon”. American Bee Journal, vol. 131, pp. 777, 1991.
[25] M. Neira, N. Lobos, M. Riveros, R. Carrillo, R. Pessot, N. Mundaca "Insect fauna associated with flowers of raspberries (Rubus idaeus L., cv Meeker) and evaluation of pollination activity of Apis mellifera L. under the influence of a pheromonal attractant”, Revista Chilena de Entomologia, vol. 24, pp. 37-44, 1997.
[26] D. T. Malerbo-souza, R. H. Nogueira-couto, L. A. Couto "Honey bee attractants and pollination in sweet orange, Citrus sinensis (L.) Osbeck, var. Pera-Rio”, Journal of Venomous Animals and Toxins including Tropical Diseases, vol. 10, pp. 144-153, 2004.
[27] M. Butts "Bee attractant: improving strawberry quality?” Citrus and Vegetable Magazine, vol. 55, pp. 16-17, 1991.
[28] M. McGourty "A field evaluation of "Bee-HereTM” pheromone-based forage attractant for honey bees Apis mellifera L. applied to red clover, Trifolium pratense L”, MSc Thesis, Oregon State University, USA, 1992.
[29] V. Tsirakolglou, A. Thrasyvoulou, F. Hatjina "Techniques to increase the attractiveness of kiwi flowers to honey bees”, Acta Horticulturae, vol. 444, pp. 439-445, 1997.
[30] K. Slessor, L. Kaminski, G. King, J. Borden, M. Winston "Semiochemical of basis of the retinue response of honey bees”, Nature, vol. 332, pp. 354-356, 1988.
[31] R. W. Currie, M. L. Winston, K. N. Slessor "Effect of synthetic queen mandibular pheromone sprays on pollination of fruit crops by honey bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae)”, Journal of Economic Entomology, vol. 85, pp. 1293-1299, 1992a.
[32] R. W. Currie, M. L. Winston, K. N. Slessor "Effect of synthetic queen mandibular pheromone sprays on honey bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae) pollination of berry crops”, Journal of Economic Entomology vol. 85, pp. 1300-1306, 1992b.
[33] K. E. Mackenzie, A. L. Averill "A new honey bee attractant, the queen mandibular pheromone”, Cranberries, vol. 56, pp. 13-14, 1992.
[34] K. Naumann, M. Winston, K. Slessor, M. Smirle "Synthetic honey bee (Hymenoptera) queen mandibular gland pheromone applications affect pear and sweet cherry pollination”, Journal of Economic Entomology, vol. 87, pp. 1595-1599, 1994.
[35] USDA "Cotton area, yield, production. Foreign Agricultural Services: U. S. Department of Agriculture” http://www.fas.usda.gov/cotton/ circular/Current.htm 2008.
[36] SPSS (2007) SPSS. v14, SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL 60611.
[37] H. Levene "Robust tests for equality of variances. In Olkin, I (Ed). Contributions to probability and statistics”. Stanford University Press; California, USA. pp. 278-292. (1960)
[38] K. Pearson "Mathematical contributions to the mathematical theory of evolution. III. Regression, Heredity, and Panmixia”, Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London, vol. 187, pp. 253-318, 1896.
[39] H. Higo, M. L. Winston, K. N. Slessor "Mechanisms by which honey bee (Hymenoptera: Apidae) queen pheromone sprays enhance pollination”, Annals of the Entomology Society of America, vol. 88, pp. 366-373, 1995.
[40] M. Winston, K. Slessor "Applications of queen honey bee mandibular pheromone for beekeeping and crop pollination”, Bee World, vol. 74, pp. 111-127, 1993.
[41] V. Shashidhar, K. Manjunth "Large-scale evaluation of Fruit Boost and Bee-q in enhancing the seed yield of sunflower, Helianthus annuus L.”, Journal of Oilseeds Research, vol. 27, pp. 22-25, 2010.
[42] J. O. Moffett, L. S. Stith, C. W. Shipman "Influence of distance from pollen plant on seed produced by male-sterile cotton”, Crop Science, vol. 16, pp. 765-766, 1976.
[43] D. Howpage "Pollination biology of kiwifruit: influence of honey bees, Apis mellifera L., pollen parents and pistil structure”, PhD Dissertation, University of Western Sydney, Australia, 1999.
[44] E. C. Wratt "The pollinating activities of bumble bees and honey bees in relation to temperature, competing forage plants, and competition from other foragers”, Journal of Apicultural Research, vol. 7, pp. 61-66, 1986.
[45] Z. Puskadija, E. Stefanic, A. Mijic, Z. Zdunic, N. Paradzikovic, T. Florijancic, A. Opacak "Influence of weather conditions on honey bee visits (Apis mellifera carnica) during sunflower (Helianthus annus L.) blooming period”, Agriculture Scientific and Professional Review, vol. 13, pp. 230-233, 2007.
[46] T. I. Szabo TI "Effect of weather factors on honey bee flight activity and colony weight gain”, Journal of Apicultural Research, vol. 19, pp.164-171, 1980.
[47] A. K. Wafa, S. H. Ibrahim "Temperature as factor affecting pollen gathering activity by the honey bee in Egypt”, Bulletin of Faculty of Agriculture Cairo University, No. 163.3, 1957.