Africanized honey bees (Apis mellifera L.) density for pollination in culture of the melon (Cucumis melo L.) in the state of Ceará – Brazil

Abstract

Beehives with pattern Langstroth, populated with bees africanizadas (Apis mellifera L.), they were introduced in areas of commercial cultivation of yellow melon (Cucumis melo L.), variety AF-646, in the Project of Irrigation of Low Acaraú, municipal district of Marco-CE. Tends as objective determines the appropriate number of beehives / there is, the experiment consisted of four treatments: He testifies without the introduction of beehives, 2 beehives/ha, 4 beehives/ha and 6 beehives/ha. The observed variables were: Frequency of bees in the flowers, tax of initial of fruits set, total production of fruits, production of fruits to the internal market, production of fruits for export. The treatment 6 colonies for hectare presented frequency of melliferous bees in the flowers superior to the other treatments. For the initial of fruits set, the treatments with 6 and 4 beehives/ha presented larger number of avenged fruits, among which significant (P > 0,05) statistical difference was not observed. The total production of fruits was also superior in the treatments 6 and 4 beehives/ha, that didn't present difference statistics amongst themselves. The treatments with the smallest productions were 2 beehives for hectare and without the introduction of beehives, that differed of the previous ones and amongst themselves (P < 0,05). The use of 4 populous colonies of Apis mellifera L. for hectare, it is enough to maximize the productivity of cultivating of melon plant studied.