Figures (2)  Tables (3)

    • Figure 1. 

      Bee pollination in vegetables under controlled and open field conditions.

    • Figure 2. 

      Challenges for bee pollination in vegetables.

    • Sr No Vegetable crop Percent increase in yield
      1 Cole 100.00–300.00
      2 Radish 22.00–100.00
      3 Carrot 9.00–135.00
      4 Turnip 100.00–125.00
      5 Cucumber and squashes 21.00–6,700
      6 Onion 353.00–9,878
      7 Cabbage 100–300.00
      Adapted from Abrol[26].

      Table 1. 

      Percentage increase in yield of some crops due to bee pollination.

    • Sr. No. Crop Bee floral visitors Ref.
      1 Cucumber (Cucumis sativus) Honey bees (A. mellifera), A. dorsata, A. florea, bumble bees (Bombus spp.), Melipona spp., Scaptotrigona aff. depilis, Melissodes spp., Pithitis smaragdula, Xylocopa fenestrata [12,15]
      2 Calabash gourd (Lagenaria siceraria) Honey bees (A. mellifera), A. cerana, bumble bees (Bombus spp.), X. fenestrata, Xylocopa virginica [125]
      3 Sponge gourd (Luffa cylindrica) Honey bees (A. mellifera), X. fenestrata, X. virginica [125]
      4 Melon (Cucumis melo) Honey bees (A. mellifera), A. florea, A. cerana, Tetragonula iridipennis, Ceratina hieroglyphica, Ceratina binghami [126]
      5 Pumpkin (Cucurbita spp.) Honey bees (A. mellifera), A. cerana, A. dorsata, A. florea, bumble bees (Bombus spp.), M. quadrifasciata, Trigona spinipes, Xylocopa spp., Agapostemon virescens, Augochlora pura, Dialictus sp., Halictus sp. [28]
      6 Watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) Honey bees (A. mellifera), A. cerana, A. florea, bumble bees (Bombus spp.), Melipona spp., Scaptotrigona sp., Trigona iridipennis, Ceratina spp., Dialictus spp. [38]
      7 Brocolli (Brassica oleracea var. italica) Honey bees (A. mellifera, A. cerana, A. Florea), bumble bees (Bombus haemorrhoidalis) [127]
      8 Cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata) and cauliflower (Brassica oleracea var. botrytis) A. cerana [27]
      9 Radish (Raphanus sativus) Apis florea, Apis dorsata, Tetragonula iridipennis, Apis cerana, Lassioglossum sp. [128]

      Table 2. 

      Primary bee visitors to flowers of some cross-pollinated vegetables.

    • Vegetable crop Blooming period
      of the crop      		 No. of A. mellifera
      colonies (ha)      		 No. of A. cerana
      colonies (ha)      		 Time of placement
      of colonies
      Cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata) February–March 5 8–10 10%–15% flowering
      Carrot (Daucus carota) March–April 5–8 10–12 10%–15% flowering
      Cauliflower (Brassica oleracea var. botrytis) March–April 5 8–10 10%–15% flowering
      Cucumber (Cucumis sativus) June–September 1 for monoecious;
      8 for dioecious      		 2–3 for monoecious;
      12–16 for dioecious      		 10%–15% flowering
      Pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo)
      		 June–September 5–8 10–12 10%–15% flowering
      Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus) June–September 1–2 2–3 10%–15% flowering
      Radish (Raphanus sativus) March–April 2–3 4–6 10%–15% flowering
      Turnip (Brassica rapa subsp. rapa) February–March 2–3 4–6 5%–10% flowering
      Adapted from Abrol[26].

      Table 3. 

      Summary of pollination management of different crops.