STUDY ON INSECT DIVERSITY AND POLLINATION EFFECT ON BUCKWHEAT (FAGOPYRUM ESCULENTUM) YIELD

Abstract

The experiment was conducted at the research farm of Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka-1207 during the period from November 2019 to March 2020. The experiment was consisted of two different strategies of pollination treatment on buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum) flowers viz., T 1 =Without netting and T = Netting. Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) was adopted to layout the present experiment with 12 replications. The most abundant species were identified as Apis cerana F. (9.28±2.62) from Hymenoptera and Menocheilus sexmaculatus (8.36±1.05) from Coleoptera foraging the field at 11 A. M., while Syrphus sp. (2.53±1.1) found as dominant species from Diptera order visited the field at early morning (7 A. M.). Apis cerena and Apis mellifera were found to stay more time spending insects in buckwheat flower. The growth, yield and yield contributing characters were significantly influenced by different treatments of the pollinators. The highest 1000-seed weight of buckwheat was recorded (18.39 g) from plot without netting (T ), whereas the lowest 1000-seed weight was recorded (9.17 g) from the with netting (T 1 ). The highest seed yield per plant of buckwheat was recorded 22.68 gm when the buckwheat plot was without netting (T 2 ) and the lowest seed yield per plant of buckwheat was recorded 12.35 gm when the buckwheat plot was netted (T 1 ). The highest yield per plot was recorded (0.8258 kg) when the field was opened for pollinators (T ) and the lowest yield per plot was recorded (0.399 kg) when the field was netted (T 1 ). From the study, it can be concluded that, without netting was the best for maximum pollination for obtaining better yield of buckwheat.