トマトの抑制栽培におけるキオビオオハリナシバチの受粉効果(栽培管理・作型)  [in Japanese] Effects of Pollination by Melipona quadrifasciata anthidioides on Retarding Tomato Cultures(Crop Production & Cropping Type)  [in Japanese]

トマトの抑制栽培におけるキオビオオハリナシバチの受粉効果について,セイヨウオオマルハナバチと比較して検討した.試験は連棟型ビニルハウス(225m^2:9m×25m)で実施した.各棟に104株ずつのトマトを定植し,それぞれキオビオオハリナシバチおよびセイヨウオオマルハナバチのコロニーを2005年9月12日から2006年3月31日まで,1群ずつ放飼した.ハリナシ放飼区では巣口を終日開放としたが,マルハナ放飼区では小規模ハウスにおける過剰訪花とそれに伴う花柱や子房の損傷を防ぐために,2〜3日に1度の割合で巣口を開放した.その結果,キオビオオハリナシバチの採粉効率および着果率はセイヨウオオマルハナバチに比べて優れ,収量および品質は同等であったことから,キオビオオハリナシバチはセイヨウオオマルハナバチの代替花粉媒介昆虫となり得る能力を持つと考えられた.

The pollination efficiencies of Melipona quadrifasciata anthidioides (Neotropical stingless bee) and Bombus terrestris (bumblebee) were evaluated in tomatoes 'Hausumomotaro' cultivated in a greenhouse in 2005. The house was divided into two sections. Colonies of M. quadrifasciata and B. terrestris were respectively introduced into each section. High pollination efficiency by both species was proven, but there was no significant difference in total fruit mass/inflorescence or in the ratio of normal fruits/plant between the two sections. Fruit set ratio was higher in M. quadrifasciata, in comparison with B. terrestris. This may be caused by differences in the foraging behavior between M. quadrifasciata and B. terrestris. In the later species, foragers visited the same flower repeatedly, when available numbers of flowers was reduced, and injured the style with its mandible during the buzz pollinating behavior while in M. quadrifasciata, there was no such over-visiting behavior.