STINGLESS BEES AS CROP POLLINATORS IN INDIA: FROM FLORAL VISITATION TO POLLINATION POTENTIAL AND AGRICULTURAL APPLICATION

Abstract

Stingless bees (Meliponini) are significant pollinators with a great potential for use in Indian agriculture, yet their importance to crop pollination is not majorly explored. This review focusses on the current knowledge on the diversity, distributions, foraging behaviour and pollination potential of stingless bees, with major emphasis on their suitability as pollination units in Indian agriculture. We investigated the evidence for crop visitation, transfer of pollen, contribution to plant reproductive success in terms of fruit/seed set and overall agricultural benefits, while considering the notable traits that impact the pollination effectiveness of stingless bees, including colony characteristics, foraging behaviour, floral constancy, bee-flower and environmental compatibility. Furthermore, the possibility of managing stingless bee colonies has been discussed in relevance to hive establishment and multiplication techniques, food resources, hive placement methods, protection from pesticide and natural enemies as well as hive contribution in protected cultivation practices. Finally, major research gaps are recognized, including identification of diverse bee species and colony availability, adoption of standardized pollination experiments, the process of pairing specific bee species with targeted crops and most significantly economic valuation and farmer adoption. By bridging these gaps, it is possible to support the development of sustainable and locally adapted stingless bee pollination systems in Indian agriculture.