No Sting, All Gain: Nagaland University researchers discover stingless bees can boost crop yields

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• A stingless bee aids tomato flower fertilisation.

• DIMAPUR — Researchers at Nagaland University have made a groundbreaking discovery that certain species of stingless bees can be used to increase agricultural yield through pollination.
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• A press release on Monday stated that the identified species, Tetragonula iridipennis Smith and Lepidotrigona arcifera Cockerell, offer a promising alternative to traditional honeybees and could revolutionise crop production in the region.

A stingless bee in action, pollinating a chilli flower—part of Nagaland University's research into sustainable crop pollination methods.

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• The research, led by Dr. Avinash Chauhan, Scientist and Principal Investigator (AICRP Honeybees & Pollinators) at the Department of Entomology, School of Agricultural Sciences, Nagaland University, demonstrated that introducing these stingless bees as pollinators resulted in a substantial increase in both the yield and quality of various crops grown under greenhouse conditions.

• The findings have been published in prestigious peer-reviewed journals, including the International Journal of Farm Sciences.
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• Their research outcomes over the past seven to ten years have opened up numerous opportunities for stakeholders to rear stingless bees for quality honey production, minimising bee losses and maximising profitability, said Dr. Chauhan.

Distribution of stingless bee hives for pollination and honey production under Nagaland University's research initiatives.

A modern meliponiary housing stingless bees at the School of Agricultural Sciences, Medziphema Campus.

• “With the introduction of stingless bees as pollinators in different crops under greenhouse conditions, the yield and quality of produce increased several times in different crops.
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• “Stingless bees could be used for pollination without fear of being stung. They are known for their popular medicinal honey and pollination potential, which paves the way for the formulation of crop pollination calendars to benefit all stakeholders. The honey produced by the bees during the experiments also provided extra income besides good crop production,” the press release stated.
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• The research specifically highlighted the positive impact of stingless bee pollination on chilli crops. Compared to crops without pollination, those pollinated by stingless bees showed a marked increase in both production quantity and quality.
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• “For supplementing the pollination deficit in chilli, stingless bees and honeybee species like A dorsata, A florea - and other wild bees like halictid bees, syrphid bees and Amegiella bees need to be conserved,” it suggested.
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• In king chilli, the fruit set percentage increased to 29.46% compared to the 21% observed in non-pollinated crops. Similarly, in chilli (Capsicum annuum), fruit set and healthy fruit yield increased by 7.42% and 7.92%, respectively, compared to non-pollinated crops.
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• Seed weight, a crucial indicator of viability and germination, also saw a remarkable increase of 60.74% when pollinated by stingless bees.
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• “This is the maiden attempt to work out the pollination potential of stingless bees and quality production of honey, which led to increased income and sustainable livelihood. Earlier, it was difficult to use honeybees for pollination of crops (inadequate pollination) due to their natural attributes,” it added.

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