D. DEVIKA RANI, SUNITAYADAV, H. D. KAUSHIK AND G. NARENDRA KUMAR

The pollination efficiency of major insect pollinators of summer squash was evaluated at the Department of Entomology, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar, dining the crop season in 2013-14. The abundance (bees/m2/5 minutes) of Apis mellifera (2.21) was highest followed by A. cerana (1.16), A. dorsata (1.07) and A. florea (0.62). Irrespective of species, the population was maximum (1.45 bees/m2/5 minutes) at 1000-1200 h of the day. The number of loose pollen grains sticking to the body of A. dorsata was registered maximum (ay. 165000 pollen grains) followed by A. mellifera (97750 pollen grains), A. cerana (60,000 pollen grains) and A. florea (48750 pollen grains). Based on pollination index of four bee species, A. mellifera was found to be the most efficient pollinator of summer squash flowers with pollination index of 216030 followed by A. dorsata, A. cerana and A. florea, having pollination index 176550, 69600 and 30230, respectively under agro-ecological conditions of Hisar.