EFFICIENCY OF CUCUMBER (Cucumis sativus L.) POLLINATION BY BUMBLEBEES (Bombus terrestris)
Janina Gajc-Wolska
Warsaw University of Life Sciences – SGGWKatarzyna Kowalczyk
Warsaw University of Life Sciences – SGGWJarosław Mikas
Warsaw University of Life Sciences – SGGWRyszard Drajski
Warsaw University of Life Sciences – SGGWAbstract
The cucumber crop size depends not only on the cultivar and agrotechnical conditions but also on proper pollination of flowers. The aim of the work was the investigation of the efficiency of bumblebees used in the cultivation of cucumber on the yield, physical parameters and chemical traits of fruits. The investigations were performed on two cucumber cultivars Pavlina F1 and Natasia F1 obtained from Seminis company. It was established as a three factor experiment in four replications. The bumblebees from the Koppert company was introduced to the cucumber cultivation two times. Marketable yield, the numbers of flowers and fruits as well as physical and chemical traits were investigated. Marketable yield of fruits from the treatment with bumblebees was at the similar level with marketable yield from the control treatment with significantly higher number of fruits in the bumblebees treatment. The yield of fruits of the first class was at the similar
level in both treatments with significantly higher number of fruits in the control treatment. A higher firmness and better quality were characteristic for fruits in the treatments with bumblebees than from the control treatment. A higher nitrate content was characteristic for fruits from the control treatment and fruits from the second and third term of planting. A higher phosphorus content was noted in fruits from the treatment with bumblebees in the first and third term of cultivation and in fruits of the Pavlina F1 cultivar.
Keywords:
term of planting, pollination, yield, physical traits, chemical compositionsReferences
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Warsaw University of Life Sciences – SGGW
Warsaw University of Life Sciences – SGGW
Warsaw University of Life Sciences – SGGW
Warsaw University of Life Sciences – SGGW
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