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Journals / Tekirdağ Ziraat Fakültesi Dergisi / 2026 / Cilt: 23 Sayı: 2

The Beneficial Effects of Honey Bees (Apis mellifera L.) as a Potential Pollinator on Quantitative and Qualitative Yield Parameters of Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.)

Abdulraouf Amro(Department of Apiculture Research, Plant Protection Research Institute, Agricultural Research Center, Dokki, Giza, Egypt.)0000-0001-6837-2298
Mostafa Seddik(Plant Protection Research Institute, Agricultural Research Center, Dokki, Giza, Egypt)0009-0007-8753-4740
Pages
652–662
Publication Date
2026-03-16
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AI Summary & Key Takeaways

AI Insight
⚡ TL;DR(Too Long; Didn't Read)

Our results concluded that MHO plays a significant role in sunflower pollination, leading to substantial improvements in yield parameters compared to NP.

📌 3 Key Takeaways

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Objective & Hypothesis:A field study was conducted at the experimental station of the Bee Research Department, Naqada region, Qena Governorate, Egypt, during the 2024 sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) flowering season.
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Key Findings & Data:This research aimed to identify the insect pollinator community associated with sunflower plants, particularly honey bees (Apis mellifera L.), to evaluate their foraging ecology and quantify their effects on H. annuus yield parameters.
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Conclusion & Impact:Our results concluded that MHO plays a significant role in sunflower pollination, leading to substantial improvements in yield parameters compared to NP.
🔬Design:Lab & Field Experiment
📍Scope:2024 Verileri
⚙️Variables:Sunflower · Pollination · Foraging behavior

Abstract

A field study was conducted at the experimental station of the Bee Research Department, Naqada region, Qena Governorate, Egypt, during the 2024 sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) flowering season. This research aimed to identify the insect pollinator community associated with sunflower plants, particularly honey bees (Apis mellifera L.), to evaluate their foraging ecology and quantify their effects on H. annuus yield parameters. The study implemented three pollination scenarios: open pollination (OP), allowing full insect pollinator access; managed honey bee-only (MHO), providing exclusive A. mellifera pollination within an isolated netted plot containing one colony; and non-pollinated (NP) plants, where pollinators were excluded using insect-proof mesh cages. Hymenoptera included the main pollinators (90%) especially A. mellifera, which recorded the most abundant pollinator (78%). The peak foraging activity of A. mellifera on sunflowers recorded at 9 am (excluding January 18), declined by midday (12 pm), and was lowest in the afternoon (3 pm). A. mellifera foragers exhibited significantly longer mean visitation durations (seconds capitulum) during mid-February compared to late February under OP conditions. Sunflowers under OP condition yielded the most seeds per plant head (565.67 head⁻¹), surpassing MHO (450.67 head⁻¹) and NP (241.33 head⁻¹). The NP group had statistically significant lower yield parameters (head weight per plant, number of seeds per head, 100-seed weight (g.), seed yield (t ha-1), seed set, oil content % and seed germination %) than the OP and/or MHO. The difference in seed yield, weight, oil content% and germination% between OP and MHO pollination conditions was statistically non-significant (p > 0.05). However, MHO exhibited superior seed setting compared to OP and NP, recording 93.78%, 89.00 and 26%, respectively. Our results concluded that MHO plays a significant role in sunflower pollination, leading to substantial improvements in yield parameters compared to NP. However, they might not fully compensate for the absence of other pollinators in terms of the number of seeds per head and head weight.

Özet

A field study was conducted at the experimental station of the Bee Research Department, Naqada region, Qena Governorate, Egypt, during the 2024 sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) flowering season. This research aimed to identify the insect pollinator community associated with sunflower plants, particularly honey bees (Apis mellifera L.), to evaluate their foraging ecology and quantify their effects on H. annuus yield parameters. The study implemented three pollination scenarios: open pollination (OP), allowing full insect pollinator access; managed honey bee-only (MHO), providing exclusive A. mellifera pollination within an isolated netted plot containing one colony; and non-pollinated (NP) plants, where pollinators were excluded using insect-proof mesh cages. Hymenoptera included the main pollinators (90%) especially A. mellifera, which recorded the most abundant pollinator (78%). The peak foraging activity of A. mellifera on sunflowers recorded at 9 am (excluding January 18), declined by midday (12 pm), and was lowest in the afternoon (3 pm). A. mellifera foragers exhibited significantly longer mean visitation durations (seconds capitulum) during mid-February compared to late February under OP conditions. Sunflowers under OP condition yielded the most seeds per plant head (565.67 head⁻¹), surpassing MHO (450.67 head⁻¹) and NP (241.33 head⁻¹). The NP group had statistically significant lower yield parameters (head weight per plant, number of seeds per head, 100-seed weight (g.), seed yield (t ha-1), seed set, oil content % and seed germination %) than the OP and/or MHO. The difference in seed yield, weight, oil content% and germination% between OP and MHO pollination conditions was statistically non-significant (p > 0.05). However, MHO exhibited superior seed setting compared to OP and NP, recording 93.78%, 89.00 and 26%, respectively. Our results concluded that MHO plays a significant role in sunflower pollination, leading to substantial improvements in yield parameters compared to NP. However, they might not fully compensate for the absence of other pollinators in terms of the number of seeds per head and head weight.

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Cite This Article

Amro, A., Seddik, M. (2026). The Beneficial Effects of Honey Bees (Apis mellifera L.) as a Potential Pollinator on Quantitative and Qualitative Yield Parameters of Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.). Tekirdağ Ziraat Fakültesi Dergisi, Cilt: 23 Sayı: 2, 652–662. https://doi.org/10.33462/jotaf.1691139

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