Author Description

Flower initiation in mango (var: “Mallika”) commenced at 21.83 ± 1.58 days after bud development and staminate: hermaphrodite flower ratio was 1:0.29. In each flower, one fertile and four staminoids were present. Staminate and hermaphrodite flowers opened during 0730-1000 hrs. and 0800-1100 hrs. and in them anther dehiscence occurred at 27.1 ± 3.1 and 29.3 ± 4.8 min. after anthesis, respectively. Fruit set (no./panicle) was 2.90 ±1.27 in unbagged and zero in bagged inflorescence. Total longevity of each flower was 81.96 ± 2.14 hrs. Forty five insect species found foraging on the inflorescence belonged to Hymenoptera (60%), Diptera (24.44%), Hemiptera (6.67%), Coleoptera (4.44%) and Lepidoptera (4.44%). Shannon-Weiner Diversity Index (H) values ranged from 1.201-1.586 during different hours of the day, with peak ‘H’ values during 0900-1100 hrs. (1.597-1.619). Highest ‘H’ value (1.551) was recorded at >90 per cent flowering stage. Berger-Parker index (d) for dominance during 25, 50, 75 and >90 percent flowering was highest for E. obliquus (d=0.40, 0.40, 0.36 and 0.34). E. obliquus, Chrysomya sp., A. florea and A. cerana indica spent 11.83, 8.33, 5.29 and 3.76 sec. on each flower, respectively. All four species spent maximum foraging time during 1000-1100 hrs. E. obliquus, Chrysomya sp., A. florea and A. cerana indica visited 36.38, 42.93, 57.33 and 69.40 flowers /5 min., respectively. Maximum bee visitation was recorded at 0600-0700 hrs. and 1700-1800 hrs. Further, E. obliquus, Chrysomya sp., A. florea and A. cerana indica visited 13.03, 18.18, 27.84 and 31.78 flowers per inflorescence. Significant negative correlation (p=0.001) was observed between the number of flowers visited per inflorescence and time spent w.r.t. all the four species.