non-cultivated plants with potential for meliponiculture in organic agroecosystem in the mountain region of the state of espírito santo
International Journal of Development Research
non-cultivated plants with potential for meliponiculture in organic agroecosystem in the mountain region of the state of espírito santo
Received 07th January, 2021; Received in revised form 29th January, 2021; Accepted 26th February, 2021; Published online 30th March, 2021
Copyright © 2021, Eduardo Antonio Ferreira et al. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Non-cultivated plants that produce nectar and pollen, are already seen as important sources of food for bees, supporting the development of beekeeping and meliponiculture. Stingless indigenous bees are fundamental to ecosystems, considering their efficiency as pollinators. The objective was to identify the main botanical species of non-cultivated plants explored during the foraging of meliponines, during the four climatic seasons of the year, and the capacity of the Jataí bee (Tetragoniscaangustula), as pollinator of these plants. The study was conducted on a family farm in an organic system, in the Central Mountain Region of the State of Espírito Santo, in the municipality of Santa Maria de Jetibá. The methodology used consisted of going through the planting area of the property to observe, photograph and collect non-cultivated plants that were in bloom and visited by Jataí bees. The species selected for the development of the experiment was the Jataí bee, because it is characterized by its small size and because it is a species of natural occurrence in the region. Five INPA vertical standard vertical boxes were installed on the rural property, installed in the center of the cultivation area, in a covered shed, on a wooden shelf, with evaluations during the four climatic seasons of the year. The collections of flowers of the species of non-cultivated plants of the occasion were carried out, as well as samples of flower buds and flowers in anthesis to prepare a mini herbarium, in order to meet the recognition of these plant species. In all climatic seasons of the year, the foraging of Jataí bees was observed in the reported non-cultivated plant species, with a predominance of the Asteraceae family, as well as the predominant habit of herbaceous plants. Foraging occurred in greater quantities, in non-cultivated plant species that bloomed in the autumn climatic season, followed by summer, winter and spring.
