Lumami, May 26 -- Researchers from Nagaland University have identified a stingless bee species that can significantly enhance agricultural yield through pollination. The species identified are Tetragonula iridipennis (Smith) and lepidotrigona arcifera (Cockerell).

Introduced stingless bees as pollinators in various crops under greenhouse conditions improved yield and quality markedly. Stingless bees offer a safe pollination alternative, as they do not sting. Additionally, they produce medicinal honey, adding extra income for farmers and enhancing crop productivity.

The research showed that chilli crops pollinated by stingless bees had better production and quality than non-pollinated crops. For instance, in king chilli, fruit set increa...