The Agriculture Department has urged farmers raising coconut and mango crop to take to rearing of bees so as to increase pollination and thus productivity.
“Honey bees play a major role in pollination which directly increases yield in any crop. Hence, we have been promoting rearing of bees in coconut or mango groves,” said J. Sekar, Joint Director of Agriculture.
He cited the success of pollination rate in gingelly crop at thee Agriculture Department’s State Seed Farm at Tirukadaiyur where ‘TVM 6’ is being cultivated. Bees are attracted towards white-coloured flowers. Further, the ball-shaped gingelly flowers facilitate easy and smooth entry for the flies for sucking nectar. The bees, in that process, promote pollination in the crop.
“The usual per hectare yield of this gingelly with a duration of 85 to 90 days is 700 kg but it may raise up to 875 kg, partly because of increased pollination,” he said.
The huge presence of bees in and around Tirukadaiyur in general and the State Seed Farm in particular has contributed to the increased pollination rate.
As pollination process was more important for mangoes and coconuts for registering higher yield, the farmers will be exposed to the advantages of this phenomenon at the State Seed Farm.
