Nagaland University researchers harness stingless bees to boost crop yields
The team found that in crops like chilli, pollination by stingless bees led to a marked increase in fruit set and seed quality
Dimapur, May 26: In a breakthrough that promises to reshape pollination practices in Indian agriculture, researchers at Nagaland University have identified two stingless bee species—Tetragonula iridipennis Smith and Lepidotrigona arcifera Cockerell—that significantly enhance both the quality and quantity of crop yields through pollination.
Led by Dr Avinash Chauhan, Scientist and Principal Investigator at the All India Coordinated Research Project (AICRP) on Honeybees and Pollinators, the team’s findings have been published in several reputed, peer-reviewed journals, including the International Journal of Farm Sciences.
“Stingless bees can be safely used for pollination without the risk of stings. Their honey also carries known medicinal properties, providing an added source of income for farmers alongside improved crop yields,” Chauhan said.
The team found that in crops like chilli (Capsicum annuum), pollination by stingless bees led to a marked increase in fruit set and seed quality.
In king chilli, fruit set increased to 29.46% compared to just 21% in non-pollinated plots. In regular chilli, fruit set rose by 7.42%, and healthy fruits by 7.92%, while seed weight—a key indicator of germination—rose by an impressive 60.74%.
"This is the first documented attempt in India to study the pollination potential of stingless bees for crop production and quality honey yield,” Chauhan noted, adding, “It opens up viable income-generating opportunities through sustainable beekeeping.”
Traditionally, inadequate pollination by honeybees had posed a challenge due to behavioural constraints. However, the research indicates that stingless bees and other native pollinators—including Apis dorsata, Apis florea, halictid bees, syrphid flies, and Amegiella bees—can be strategically conserved and deployed to address pollination deficits.
Over the last decade, Chauhan’s team has focused on scientific domestication of stingless bees, particularly in Nagaland. This includes the development of specialised hives and mass multiplication techniques using queen cells, practices that are now being extended to other northeastern states like Meghalaya and Arunachal Pradesh.
“While stingless bees have been reared in traditional homestead apiaries in the Northeast and Southern India, scientific rearing practices are still at a nascent stage in many other regions. Our efforts are now directed at improving rearing techniques and promoting scientific beekeeping for better honey production and pollination efficiency,” Chauhan added.
Stingless bees are now reported from across the country, including the North, Central, and Western regions. The research team is also working to raise awareness about the importance of conserving wild bee species and pollinators, which play a vital role in food security and biodiversity.
“This initiative is a win-win—for farmers, the environment, and the economy,” Chauhan said.
-PTI