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Author

T B Nikam

Bio: T B Nikam is an academic researcher. The author has contributed to research in topics: Flora. The author has an hindex of 1, co-authored 1 publications receiving 26 citations.
Topics: Flora

Papers
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Journal Article
TL;DR: The present investigation was conducted to study the diversity of nectariferous and polleniferous bee flora and to develop a floral calendar for Anjaneri and Dugarwadi hills and revealed that 52 plant species were useful to honeybees, out of which 29 were agricultural crops and 23 wild plants.
Abstract: The present investigation was conducted to study the diversity of nectariferous and polleniferous bee flora and to develop a floral calendar for Anjaneri and Dugarwadi hills. The flowering plants were visited and observed for the presence and foraging activities of honeybees. Plants were scored as bee foraging species when at least three honeybees had visited to the flowers within the period of 10 minutes. The results revealed that 52 plant species were useful to honeybees, out of which 29 were agricultural crops and 23 wild plants. The identified flora was further grouped into pollen, nectar and both pollen and nectar yielding plants. Mid-December to February and mid-July to September were identified as honey flow periods and mid -April to midJune were the critical dearth periods during the year. Based on the availability, utility status and flowering duration of flora, floral calendar was developed for the study area.

30 citations


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Journal Article
TL;DR: It was possible to map the major and minor sources of honeybee flora in Al-Ahsa province throughout the year and found the most abundant pollen sources were found to be Cucurbita pepo Thunb, followed by Phoenix dactylifera L.
Abstract: This study was conducted at the apiary of Agricultural and Veterinary Training and Research Station, King Faisal University, Al-Ahsa province, East of Saudi Arabia for two successive years 2012 and 2013 to make a map of nectar and pollen sources in Al-Ahsa province. Throughout the year, we recorded seventy nine sources of bee forage belonging to 24 plant families. Sixty six species were recorded as nectar sources, while the recorded pollen sources were 77 species. Medicago sativa L., Ziziphus spp. and Citrus spp. were the dominant sources of nectar. The yearly average amount of collected pollen was 2.23 kg/colony. The highest amount of trapped pollen loads was obtained during March. The most abundant pollen sources were found to be Cucurbita pepo Thunb (21.10%), followed by Phoenix dactylifera L. (20.25%), Helianthus annuus L. (18.15%), M. sativa L. (17.42%) and Brassica napus L. (17.05%). Beekeepers could trap pollen loads that were collected from these sources during January-May and September-October, February-March, March-August, May-June, and January-March, respectively. It was possible to map the major and minor sources of honeybee flora in Al-Ahsa province throughout the year.

27 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors investigated the pollen morphology of melliferous plant taxa of Southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa-Pakistan using light microscope (LM) and scanning electron microscope (SEM), the palynological study of 18 species of Melliferous plants namely Calendula arvensis, Cenchrus pennisetiformis, Citrullus colocynthis, Cucumis melo subsp. agrestis, CUCurbita maxima, Cymbopogon jwarancusa, Cynodon dect
Abstract: The aim of the present study is to investigate the pollen morphology of melliferous plant taxa of Southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa-Pakistan. Using light microscope (LM) and scanning electron microscope (SEM), the palynological study of 18 species of melliferous plants namely Calendula arvensis, Cenchrus pennisetiformis, Citrullus colocynthis, Cucumis melo subsp. agrestis var. agrestis, Cucurbita maxima, Cymbopogon jwarancusa, Cynodon dectylon, Dactyloctenium aegyptium, Helianthus annus, Lagenaria siceraria, Launaea procumbens, Luffa cylindrica, Pennisetum glaucum, Saccharum spontaneum, Sonchus asper, Verbesina encelioides, Xanthium strumarium, and Zea mays was carried out. Both qualitative and quantitative characteristics of pollen were studied. Variations were observed in pollen morphology. The dominant pollen shape was prolate-spheroidal (11 species). All the pollen units were monad. The highest exine thickness was found in Citrullus colocynthis (8.45 μm). The maximum polar and equatorial diameter (102 and 97.55 μm) was found in Luffa cylindrica. Similarly, the highest P/E ratio was found in Cucurbita maxima (1.46). Most of the species showed tricolpate and monoporate type of pollen. The exine sculpturing, number of spines per pollen and between colpi and the pollen fertility and sterility provided significant results for the documentation of melliferous plants. Thus, the information listed in this article will prove helpful to identify the potential melliferous plants in the area, geographical origin of the honey, and the availability of pure honey in the local and international market.

13 citations

01 Jan 2015
TL;DR: There is a need to popularize bee-cultivation with A. mellifera in the country to enhance the yield and quality in seed spices (highly cross pollinated) and promote beekeeping industry to produce good quality honey.
Abstract: A large population of insects visits several seed spices and other crops right from initiation of flowering to harvesting of crops for foraging in seed spices coriander and fennel normally received 25 and 24 floral visitors, respectively in semiarid and arid conditions of Rajasthan and honeybees are to be considered as primary pollinators of all seed spice crops. Among honeybee species, Apis florea contributed greatest percentage followed by A. mellifera and A. dorsata for pollination. Beekeeping with A. mellifera is profitable because of huge bee flora is available in Indian continent round the year, provide nectar and pollen to the honeybees. The manmade pollination with honeybees, adequate knowledge about bee flora, bee management, pollinator's management and managed pollination are the common practices to enhance the yield and quality in seed spices (highly cross pollinated) and promote beekeeping industry to produce good quality honey. In view of the great role of honey bees in pollination of cross pollinated crops especially seed spices, there is a need to popularize bee-cultivation with A. mellifera in the country.

12 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The results of the present study highlighted the significance of pollen morphology of the bee flora of the area which may lead to the identification of the potential and useful botanical sources for beekeepers and to check the honey quality marketed from the study area.
Abstract: The present study was carried out to investigate the polliniferous bee flora of Lakki Marwat district, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. A total of 18 species, belonging to 13 different families were identified for the foraging activities of honeybees, namely, Cenchrus biflorus, Cestrum nocturnum, Citrus limon, Combretum indicum, Datura innoxia, Duranta erecta, Hamelia patens, Helianthus annuus, Ipomoea cairica, Luffa aegyptiaca, Nerium oleander, Ocimum basilicum, Parthenium hysterophorus, Pennisetum typhoides, Prosopis cineraria, Prosopis juliflora, Saccharum spontaneum, and Ziziphus jujuba. The identified melliferous flora was collected for the morpho-palynological investigation. Pollen were acetolyzed, measured, and described qualitatively using light microscopy. The pollen types varied from psilate to echinate and colpi from tricolpate to hexacolpate. Quantitative characteristics including polar diameter, equatorial diameter, polar to equatorial ratio, colpi length, colpi width, spine length, spine width, and exine thickness of the pollen were determined and analyzed statistically using software IBM SPSS Statistics 20. The results of the present study highlighted the significance of pollen morphology of the bee flora of the area which may lead to the identification of the potential and useful botanical sources for beekeepers and to check the honey quality marketed from the study area.

11 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, a preliminary investigation into the pollen morphology of selected melliferous species that are frequently visited by honeybees in the vicinity of apiaries in the district of Mardan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was conducted.
Abstract: The guiding principles for raising beekeeping products in developing countries provide support for commercializing honey production in order to generate income for beekeepers through the exploration of melliferous flora. The main objective of this study was to conduct a preliminary investigation into the pollen morphology of selected melliferous species that are frequently visited by honeybees in the vicinity of apiaries in the district of Mardan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. In this study, an updated overview was provided by reviewing the literature regarding palynological investigation of melliferous flora. The morpho-palynological features, dominant plant families visited by honeybees, and life forms of melliferous species were also discussed. The Acetolysis method was used to prepare the microscopic slides of pollen, measure and describe the qualitative and quantitative features using LM and SEM. Results showed maximum pollen polar and equatorial diameter in M. azadirachta (37.9 μm) and (40.9 μm) respectively. The polar to equatorial diameter ratio (P/E) was observed to be the highest in M. domestica (1.14). Colpi length was calculated to be the highest in the P. granatum (13.8 μm). The highest percentage of pollen fertility was calculated in V. tricolor (92.5%), whereas the lowest was in O. rosea (64.28%). Studied characters under LM and SEM have appeared as a useful tool for the delimitation of melliferous flora, which may lead to the correct identification of the potential and valuable bee floral resources for beekeepers. The outcomes of this study aid in the assessment of melliferous flora and help in providing conservation measures for the sustainable development of beekeeping and the honeybee flora of the region.

10 citations