The Importance of Flower-visiting Insects on the Pollination of Egusi

This book highlights the importance of insect pollinators in the increase of agricultural production. Taking the example of the White-seeded melon namely Cucumeropsis mannii it appears that the activity of bees on the flowers of this Cucurbit species is a key factor for fruit and seed yields. Indeed female flowers of C. mannii without bee visitations abort and do not produce fruits. It is important practice to place colonies of hive bees on the perimeter of C. mannii fields. This is done to increase seed yields of this crop species and meet their various uses. Overall pollination directly links ecosystems with agricultural production systems. Therefore peasants and readers involved in agriculture and biodiversity conservation as well as persons who will find any interest in this work are invited to take into consideration the important role played by pollinators in the preservation of the ecosystem balance.