OBSERVATIONS ON THE FORAGING BEHAVIOR OF COMMERCIAL BOMBUS TERRESTRIS L. AND APIS MELLIFERA L. COLONIES ON SOME CULTIVARS OF CARTHAMUS TINCTORIUS L. IN CAGED CONDITIONS

Year 2018, Volume: 27 Issue: 2, 273 - 282, 01.12.2018

Çiğdem Özenirler Kadriye Sorkun

https://doi.org/10.1501/commuc_0000000224

Abstract

Carthamus tinctorius L. (Safflower) has been cultivated especially for its seed. Pollination success of safflower can affect the seed yield and pollination rates can be influenced by temperature, humidity and pollinating insect abundance. Within this context, foraging activities of commercial Bombus terrestris L. and Apis mellifera L. colonies were investigated on four different cultivars (Balcı, Dincer, Linans and Remzibey-05) of safflower. The visitation rates and the abundance of the bees, evaluated with the temperature and relative humidity. Three 90 m² fields were prepared and every field was divided into four parcels. Before the blooming period of the plant starts, the fields were caged with teflon net. In the first and second cages, there was only one commercial B. terrestris and A. mellifera colony respectively. In the third cage there were both B. terrestris and A. mellifera colonies. The highest numbers of bees recorded at about 09:00 a.m. and it was found that the abundance of the bees decreased dramatically after this peak. The competition between two managed bees caused declines in the visitation rates of both species. Among the four cultivars, Dincer was the most preferred one while Linans was the least

Keywords

Apis mellifera, Bombus terrestris, foraging activity, Carthamus tinctorius

References

• X. Hu, S.Yin, Z. Huang, A. Elomri and Y. Lu, A new phenylpropanoid derivative isolated from Carthamus tinctorius L.. Records of Natural Products, 10(1), (2016) 17-21.
• X. Zhou, L.Tang, Y. Xu, G. Zhou, and Z. Wang, Towards a better understanding of medicinal uses of Carthamus tinctorius L. In traditional chinese medicine: A phytochemical and pharmacological review. Journal of ethnopharmacology, 151(1),(2014) 27-43.
• R. R. Al-Samaraae, A. E. Atabani, G.Uguz, G. Kumar, O. Arpa, A. Ayanoglu, M. N. Mohammed and H. Farouk, Perspective of safflower (Carthamus tinctorius) as a potential biodiesel feedstock in Turkey: Characterization, engine performance and emissions analyses of butanol–biodiesel–diesel blends. Biofuels, (2017) 1-17.
• A. Rashid, A. A. Attary, A. Beg, S. Pourdad, H. Ketata, N. Ali and K. A. Dezaj, Oilseed crops for the highlands of cwana. ICARDA Caravan (ICARDA), 16, (2002) 27-29.
• I. Mihoub, F. W. Badeck, F. Aïd, M.Lamothe-Sibold and J. Ghashghaie, Relationship between taproot morphological traits, carbon isotope composition and grain yield in safflower. Arid Land Research and Management, (2018) 1-16.
• E.Ashrafi and K. Razmjoo, Effect of irrigation regimes on oil content and composition of safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) cultivars. Journal of the American Oil Chemists' Society, 87(5), (2010) 499-506.
• B. Arslan, The determination of oil content and fatty acid compositions of domestic and exotic safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) genotypes and their interactions. Journal of Agronomy, 6(3), (2007) 415-420.
• N.Camas, A.K. Ayan and C. Cırak, Relationships between seed yield and some characters of safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) cultivars grown in the middle black sea conditions. Proceedings of the VIth International Safflower Conference, Istanbul-Turkey, 6-10 June, 2005. SAFFLOWER: a unique crop for oil spices and health consequently, a better life for you., Engin Maatbacilik Ltd. SSti, (2005) 193-198.
• R. Baroncelli, S. Sarrocco, A. Zapparata, S. Tavarini, L. G. Angelini and G.Vannacci, Characterization and epidemiology of colletotrichum acutatum sensu lato (c. Chrysanthemi) causing carthamus tinctorius anthracnose. Plant Pathology, 64(2),(2015) 375-384.
• U. Gecgel, M. Demirci, E. Esendal and M.Tasan, Effects of sowing dates on some physical, chemical and oxidative properties of different varieties of safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.). Proceedings of the VIth International Safflower Conference, Istanbul-Turkey, 6-10 June, 2005. Safflower: a unique crop for oil spices and health consequently, a better life for you., Engin Maatbacilik Ltd. Şti, (2005) 139-146.
• S.G. Potts, P. Neumann, B.Vaissière and N.J.Vereecken, Robotic bees for crop pollination: Why drones cannot replace biodiversity. Science of the total environment, 642, (2018) 665-667.
• A.K. Pandey and A. Kumari, Pollination ecology of safflower (Carthamus tinctorius linn), Seventh International Safflower Conference, Waaga Wagga Australia, (2007) 1-10.
• J. F. Shao, Q. M. Quan, W. G. Cai, L. L. Guan and W. Wu, The effect of floral morphology on seed set in Carthamus tinctorius Linnaeus (Asteraceae) clones of Sichuan province in China. Plant systematics and evolution, 298(1), (2012) 59-68.
• R. Boch, Honeybee activity on safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.). Canadian Journal of Plant Science, 41(3), (1961) 559-562.
• B. Marzinzig, L. Brunjes, S. Biagioni, H. Behling, W. Link and C.Westphal, Bee pollinators of faba bean (Vicia faba L.) differ in their foraging behaviour and pollination efficiency. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment, 264, (2018) 24-33.
• J. Free, Insect pollination of crops. Acad, Press, London-New York, (1993) 172-180.
• Y. Guler and F. Dikmen, Potential bee pollinators of sweet cherry in inclement weather conditions. Journal of the Entomological Research Society, 15(3), (2013) 9-19.
• A.J. Campbell, A.Wilby, P.Sutton and F.L. Wäckers, Do sown flower strips boost wild pollinator abundance and pollination services in a spring-flowering crop? A case study from uk cider apple orchards. Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment, 239, (2017) 20-29.
• H.H. Velthuis and A. Van Doorn, A century of advances in bumblebee domestication and the economic and environmental aspects of its commercialization for pollination. Apidologie, 37(4), (2006) 421-451.
• K.S. Delaplane, D.R. Mayer and D.F. Mayer, Crop pollination by bees. Cabi., (2000).
• I. Kucukbasmacı and T. Ceter, Investigation of pollinator species of order Hymenoptera in Kastamonu University Campus, Mellifera, 16(2), (2016) 25-37.
• D. Abrol and U. Shankar, Pollination in oil crops: Recent advances and future strategies, in Technological innovations in major world oil crops. Springer, 2, (2012) 221-267.
• A. Howard, Studies in Indian oil-seeds. I. Safflower and mustard. Mem. Agric. India. bot., 7, (1916) 237-272.
• A. Bukero, A. G. Lanjar, G. A. Thebo, S. A. Nahyoon and N. A.Waraich, Floral activity time period of pollinators on safflower Carthamus tinctorius L.. Science International, 27(1), (2015) 347-348.
• D. Rubis, M. Levin and S. McGregor, Effects of honey bee activity and cages on attributes of thin-hull and normal safflower lines. Crop Science, 6(1), (1966) 11-14.
• D. Langridge and R. Goodman, A study of pollination of safflower (Carthamus tinctorius) cv. Gila. Animal Production Science, 20(102), (1980) 105-107.
• M.D. Levin and G. d Butler, Bees associated with safflower in south central Arizona. Journal of Economic Entomology, 59(3),(1966) 654- 657.
• J. Eckert, The relationof honey bees to safflower. American Bee Journal, 102, (1962) 349-350.
• A. Deshmukh, G.M. Rao and A. Karve, Studies on the effect of honey bee pollination on the yield of safflower. Indian Bee Journal, 47, (1985) 1-2.