Lumami: In a significant breakthrough for sustainable agriculture and pollinator conservation, researchers from Nagaland University have identified two stingless bee species—Tetragonula iridipennis (Smith) and Lepidotrigona arcifera (Cockerell)—that can be effectively used to increase agricultural yield through pollination.
With the introduction of stingless bees as pollinators in various crops under greenhouse conditions, both the yield and quality of produce increased significantly. These stingless bees can be used for pollination without fear of stings.
Known for their medicinal honey and efficient pollination abilities, these bees offer the added benefit of income generation through honey production, alongside better crop productivity. The findings pave the way for developing crop pollination calendars that can benefit farmers and stakeholders alike.
The research revealed that chilli crops pollinated by stingless bees saw notable improvements in both yield and quality compared to crops that lacked adequate pollination. To address the pollination deficit in chilli, it is essential to conserve stingless bees and honeybee species such as Apis dorsata, Apis florea, along with wild bees including halictid bees, syrphid flies, and Amegiella bees.
In king chilli (Capsicum chinense), fruit set increased to 29.46% in pollinated crops compared to just 21.00% in non-pollinated crops. In regular chilli (Capsicum annuum), fruit set and healthy fruits improved by 7.42% and 7.92% respectively over non-pollinated crops. Furthermore, seed weight—a key indicator of seed viability and germination—increased by 60.74% when pollinated by stingless bees.
This is the first such attempt in Nagaland to document the pollination potential of stingless bees alongside quality honey production, which together enhance farmer income and promote sustainable livelihoods. Conventional honeybees have proven less effective for some crops due to their natural behavioural attributes, which made this stingless bee research all the more crucial.
The research was led by Dr. Avinash Chauhan, Scientist and Principal Investigator of the All India Coordinated Research Project (AICRP) on Honeybees & Pollinators, Department of Entomology, School of Agricultural Sciences, Nagaland University. His team’s findings have been published in several reputed, peer-reviewed journals, including the International Journal of Farm Sciences.
Dr. Chauhan elaborated: “The research outcomes of the last seven to ten years have created new opportunities for stakeholders to rear stingless bees for high-quality honey production without fear of contamination or bee loss, leading to greater profitability. We are continuing our work to refine rearing techniques and to promote scientific beekeeping with both honeybees and stingless bees to improve pollination and honey production. Raising awareness on the conservation of wild honeybees and pollinators is also a major focus.”
Looking ahead, Dr. Chauhan said, “Future studies will focus on lesser-known yet geographically significant crops like passion fruit, Solanum species, and chow chow. We will also explore honey extraction techniques specific to stingless bees and study the medicinal properties of their honey through proper analysis and mellisopalynological studies.”
The current research was aimed at utilizing stingless bee species from the genera Tetragonula and Lepidotrigona for pollinating crops like cucumber, chilli, king chilli, ash gourd, watermelon, citrus, tomato, pumpkin, brinjal, and dragon fruit. Colonies were extracted from forests and fields and then multiplied using scientific methods to generate sufficient numbers for use under confined crop-growing conditions. Their potential as pollinators on crops like mango, guava, Rhus, gooseberry, and ber was also observed and documented.
Stingless bees are native to Northeast India, Eastern India, and Southern Indian states, with recent sightings expanding to Northern, Central, and Western India. While stingless bee rearing is still at a nascent stage in many parts of India, traditional homestead apiaries have long existed in the Northeastern and Southern states. Over the past 7–10 years, scientific domestication using modern hives and queen cell-based multiplication methods has been achieved in Nagaland, with successful extension to Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh.
This development has made it easier to multiply stingless bees for pollination and other bee products. Farmers and stakeholders are now able to use their stingless bee colonies for pollination in both open-field and greenhouse conditions, leading to better yields and improved crop quality.
Research Background
Honeybees, stingless bees, bumblebees, halictids, syrphids, and other solitary bees play an indispensable role in maintaining food and forage cycles in the ecosystem. They inhabit diverse environments and nest in a variety of ways. Among these pollinators, the collection and domestication of feral stingless bee colonies and their use in crop pollination are key areas of interest for sustainable agriculture in Northeast India.
The Northeastern states of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Manipur, Nagaland, Sikkim, and Tripura are home to diverse physiographic and ecological conditions. Propagating stingless bee colonies helps preserve biodiversity by conserving species that might otherwise face decline due to human disruptions of ecosystems.
In open field conditions, effective pollination of chilli requires the conservation of stingless bees, honeybees, Diptera species, and non-Apis bees. Inadequate pollination leads to drastically lower yield and quality. The major pollinators observed for chilli in the region include stingless bees, honeybees, and halictid bees.
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