Vol. 11, Special Issue 2 (2022)

Author(s):
Vikas Bharti, Dilbag Singh Ahlawat, SK Tehlan and Kanchesh

Abstract:
Level of biodiversity, especially of insect pollinators on ajowain cv. HAJ-18 [Trachyspermum ammi (L.) Sprague], was studied at Research Farm, Department of Vegetable Science, Hisar,India. In present studes, seventeen insect of different species were recorded belonging to ten families of four orders from the ajowain flowers in which five belong to order Lepidoptera, four to Hymenoptera, six to Diptera and two related to Coleoptera. Among the insect pollinators Musca domestica L., Chrysomya megacephala F., Sarcophaga sp., Eristalinus aeneus Scopoli, Eristalinus sp. and Eristalinus tabanoides Jaennicke were the most frequent. The yield/plant (9.08 g), yield/m² (82.18 g), test weight (2.15 g) and per cent of germination (68.0) were significantly higher in open pollination as compared to without insect pollination (6.59 g, 60.58 g, 1.54 g and 40.0%, respectively). In open pollination, per cent increase in yield/plant, yield/m², test weight and per cent germination over without insect pollination was 37.76 g, 35.66 g, 39.48 g and 70.0 per cent, respectively. For seed production of ajowain insect pollinators are supposed to be indispensable to get good returns.