Pollination Efficacy of Stingless Bee (Tetragonula pagdeni) to Increase Yield of Bitter Guard in the Fields

Abstract

This study examined the pollination efficacy of the silver hair stingless bee
(Tetragonula pagdeni) to increase the yield of bitter gourd in the experimental fields of
Hortigenetic Research (S.E. Asia) Limited, Chiangmai during October 2015 - February 2016.
The purposes of this study were to determine the pollination efficiency of T. pagdeni to
increase the yield of bitter gourd, the optimal ratio of stingless bee hives per rai, and the
economic value by comparing the yields with the control plot. The non-stingless bee plots
contained 4, 8, or 12 stingless bee hives per rai. The study revealed that the silver hair
stingless bee affected pollinating and increased the yield of bitter gourd in the field. The
experimental plots with 4, 8, and 12 stingless bee hives per rai significantly increased yield
per rai by approximately 60.12, 85.40, and 133.67 percent in addition to increased yield
weights of 70.50, 101.77, and 161.46 percent, respectively, relative to the non-stingless
bee plot.
Moreover, in economic analysis aspects, the study showed that 4-12 stingless bee
plots had higher net income than the non-stingless bee plot at 10,900-20,698 baht in the
first year; furthermore, the net income increased by 60.8-105.6 percentage in the second
year. The results of the benefit-cost ratio analysis for bitter gourd production in one rai
showed that plots with 12 hives of stingless bee per rai produced the most profit.