Visiting Frequency of Weevil Pollinator Elaeidobius kamerunicus on Oil Palm’s Female Flowers in PTPN VIII Cimulang, Bogor.

Abstract

Elaeidobius kamerunicus had known as weevil pollinator which had important role in oil palm pollination. Application of the weevil can increase of oil production and fruit set. Visiting frequency of E. kamerunicus determine to pollination of palm oil. This study aimed to know visiting frequency of E. kamerunicus on oil palm’s female flowers age six years. Visiting frequency of E. kamerunicus was observed by fixed sample method in 4x10 minutes using three time blocks, which is in the morning (09.00-10.00 am), afternoon (01.00-02.00 pm), and evening (04.00-05.00 pm). Observations were conducted in 10 days on 10 different trees. Environment parameters which were temperature, humidity, wind speed, and light intensity were measured. A result showed that the highest weevil visitation frequent (130 weevils/10 minutes) to female flowers occurred in the morning. Visiting frequency in afternoon (28 weevils/10 minutes) and in evening (31 weevil/10 minutes) were lower than in the morning. The weevil’s visiting frequency related significantly to temperature and humidity.