Studies on Utilizing Honeybees for Increasing the Fruit Yield and Developing Camellia meiocarpa as a Source of Honey

Author: Chao S. W., Cheng Q. Z., Liu Z. Z., Zhou S. L.
Language: Chinese
Year of publication: 1985
Number of pages: 4
Type of publication: Paper
Journal: Linye Keji Tongxun
Edition: No 4
Pages in original publication: 16 - 19
Publication location: undefined
Country: China
Region: 4300

Experiments on honeybee pollination were carried out in Camellia meiocarpa forest in 1984 in Beijing, China, where the self-pollination rate was only 5%.  Data from 27 trees showed a three-fold increase in fruit-set, and the weight of the fruit yield was 2.43 times as high as that on self-pollinated trees.  the high content of alkaloid potassium in the nectar of C. meiocarpa makes it toxic to honeybees, and it is recommended that bees gathering nectar from C. meiocarpa should be fed Jieduling1 and 2 (detoxifying agent).