The importance of a single floral visit of Eucara macrognatha and Tetralonia fraterna (Hymenoptera: Apidae) in the pollination and the yields of Abelmoschus esculentus in Maroua, Cameroon

Experiments were made to determine the effects of a bee visit on the pollination and the productivity of okra, Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench (Malvaceae). Three treatments were used on 30 randomly-selected plants each. These included Autonomous Self-Pollination (ASP) with flowers from which insects visit, with airborne pollen flow excluded, flowers that received a single bee visit (SBV) of Eucara macrognatha (SBV1) and Tetralonia fraterna (SBV2). All flowers produced fruits with or without insect visits. The two main visitors E. macrognatha and T. fraterna were effective pollinators, and of course their visits increased the proportion of ovules that developed into seeds (pollination rate), which led to longer fruits. The domestication of the two wild bees is recommended to improve the pollination and the productivity of okra in Maroua. [PUBLICATION ABSTRACT]