Superiority of bumblebee in the pollination efficacy and yield enhancement of Cucurbita maxima in AlgeriaLamia ARIBI5 , Racha ABED1, Lotfi DERRADJ1,3, Fadhela BOUKADA4, Sihem AGUIB1, Mohamed SHEBL

Pollination efficiency varies from species to species, and many cultivated plants, including pumpkins, which depend insects for fruit yield improvement. Pumpkin is one of the most important agriculture crops for Algeria, cultivated across the country which provide a good welfare for local farmers.Although honeybees are generally the most widespread species, wild pollinators can be more efficient per visit. This research examined the pollination services provided by Apis mellifera and Bombus ruderatus on Cucurbita maxima in the province of Mila (36°16′46.6″N, 6°13′55.5″E) during the flowering periods of 2019 and 2023. The two species were compared taking into account visit frequency, pollen deposition, and yield-contributing factors.Observations indicated that A. mellifera was the most frequent pollinator (710–800 visits per 100 flowers), while B. ruderatus, were less abundant but more efficient, deposited more than twice as much pollen per visit. Both species favored pistillate flowers, but B. ruderatus better adapted foraging behavior with flower abundance, resulting in greater pollination efficiency. Open pollination waas promoted fruit set, fruit weight, and seed quantity compared to self-pollination. Morover, the fruit weight was increased up to five times and was dopuled in their see conents.These observations highlight the complementary importance of A. mellifera and B. ruderatus: assuring a high frequency of visits, while bumblebees provided qualitative of their visits. It is therefore crucial to maintain pollinator diversity in order to improve pumpkin productivity and quality in Algeria.