author(s)
RR Manchare, SR Kulkarni and TS Chormale

abstract
Studies on role of honey bees as a pollinator in seed production of bitter gourd (Momordica charantia L.)” was conducted at Mahatma Phule Krishi Vidyapeeth, Rahuri, during Rabi 2016. The experiment was laid out in randomized block design with nine treatments and three replications with view to find out the effect of bee attractants on foraging activities of Indian bees in bitter gourd. The bee attractants were sprayed two times, first at 10 percent flowering and second at 50 percent flowering. The results from the foraging activity of bees noted that the intensity of Apis cereana indica was increased on 1^st day after spraying and it reduced as gone towards 7^th days after spray. Spraying of bee attractants i.e. honey solution 10 percent, jaggery solution 10 percent and molasses 10 percent attracted the maximum number of Apis cerena indica up to 5^th day after first spray and 7^th day after second spray.