Abstract

The objective of the present study was to quantify nectar volume and secretion dynamics in Quillaja saponaria Mol. and the entomofauna associated with its flowers, as a tool for the implementation of sustainable apicultural management plans. Nectar was collected daily throughout the flowers' lifetime, three times per day at 4-h intervals. For the identification of insects associated with flowers, 5-min observation periods were carried out for 170 min in total, and a list of registered species was prepared. Within the inflorescence, central hermaphrodite flowers and lateral male flowers lived 12.3 ± 0.26 and 5.8 ± 0.26 days on average, respectively. Nectar production increased from day 1 to day 11, and then decreased until day 15. The average volume of nectar secreted per tree was 5.3 l, which would be equivalent to 4.2 kg of honey. Forty-one species of flower visitors were registered in total. © 2009 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.