Sunny days and busy bees: Unveiling the weather-driven foraging patterns of Tetragonula iridipennis and their role in tomato pollination

Paulraj Sabatina; Madapuji Rajagopalan Srinivasan; Marimuthu Murugan; Vangili Ramasamy Saminathan

doi:10.1007/s11356-024-35849-4

Sunny days and busy bees: Unveiling the weather-driven foraging patterns of Tetragonula iridipennis and their role in tomato pollination

Environ Sci Pollut Res Int. 2024 Dec 30. doi: 10.1007/s11356-024-35849-4. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Paulraj Sabatina¹, Madapuji Rajagopalan Srinivasan², Marimuthu Murugan¹, Vangili Ramasamy Saminathan¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Agricultural Entomology, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, 641 003, India.
² Department of Agricultural Entomology, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, 641 003, India. mrsrini@tnau.ac.in.

PMID: 39739172
DOI: 10.1007/s11356-024-35849-4

Abstract

The present study focused on the impact of weather parameters over the foraging efficiency and pollination potential of stingless bees, Tetragonula iridipennis in tomato ecosystem which was located in Coimbatore district, Tamil Nadu, India. The maximum foraging activity (outgoing bees - 24.56/5 min, Pollen foragers - 8.64 bees/5 min, nectar foragers - 13.54 bees/5 min and resin foragers - 2.89 bees/5 min) was observed between 10.00 - 12.00 h during the study period. The activity of stingless bees was minimal between 06.00 - 08.00 h when the foraging commences. The maximum temperature was significantly positively associated with the foraging potential and average relative humidity was negatively correlated. Heavy rainfall also affects their capacity of flight thereby the foraging activity could be restricted to the favourable time of the day. The monthly pooled averages recorded throughout the summer season, revealed that the peak foraging activity of outgoing and incoming foragers was observed in March, followed by April, while the lowest activity was recorded in May. Peak foraging activity occurred in early summer, likely due to greater resource availability and favourable weather conditions. These weather-related factors reveal how stingless bees adapt to environmental conditions, showing their sensitivity and strategic adjustments in response to climate variability and change. Moreover, the potential pollination services offered by stingless bees yielded significant results. With the aid of stingless bee pollination, the yield of tomato fruit per plant reached 3.53 kg, and the fruit's length and diameter measured up to 3.92 cm and 4.21 cm, respectively. Additionally, the weight of 100 seeds per tomato fruit was recorded at 0.31 g. The overall quality of the tomato fruit was notably enhanced by the pollination assistance from T. iridipennis.

Keywords: Tetragonula iridipennis; Foraging potential; Impact assessment; Weather parameters.