Pollinator fauna of sesame crop (Sesamum indicum L.) in Ismailia Governorate, Egypt

Abstract

A survey of insect pollinators associated with sesame, Sesamun indicum L. (Pedaliaceae), was conducted at the Agriculture Research Farm, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Suez Canal during the growing seasons of 2011 and 2012. All different insect pollinators which found on the experimental site were collected for identification. Sampling was done once a week and three times a day. Three methods were used to collect and identify insects from the sesame plants (a sweep net, pitfall traps, digital camera and eye observation). A total of 29 insect species were collected and properly identified during the survey. Insect pollinators which recorded on the plants were divided into four groups, 18 belonged to Hymenoptera, seven to Diptera, three to Lepidoptera and one to Coleoptera. Results revealed that honey-bee, Apis mellifera, was the most dominant species in the 2011 season and the second one in the 2012 season. Whereas small carpenter bees, Ceratina tarsata was the most dominant species in the 2012 season and the second one in the 2011 season. The percentage of Hymenoptera was higher in the two studied seasons by 90.94% and 89.59%, followed by Diptera by 3.93% and 5.38%, then Lepidoptera by 3.58% and 3.62, and in the last Coleoptera by 1.53% and 1.39%, respectively.