Floral biology of sweet pepper (Capsicum annum) and the use of the stingless bee (Melipona subnitida Ducke) as it pollinator in enclosure

Abstract

The study evaluated the floral biology and pollination requirements of greenhouse grown sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) as mediated by stingless bees (Melipona subnitida Ducke). Yearly in the morning, upon opening, the flowers started to spread out pollen in an increasing way until a peak was reached at 11:00 AM. Stigmas were perceptibly receptive from 7:00 AM to 3:00 PM. No significant difference (P>0,05) was observed for the treatments hand self-pollination, hand cross-pollination, restricted pollination, and open pollination by the bees. The findings lead to the conclusion that the sweet pepper flower should be pollinated in the morning, given that the realizing of the pollen coincides with stigma receptivity at that time. Furthermore, sweet pepper fruit set of does not depend on the presence of M. subnitida.