With the objective of studying the effect of the pollination efficiency of Apis mellifera L. and the performance on seed yield and quality of Adesmia latifolia (Spreng.) Vog., an experiment was setup at the Agronomic Experimental Station of the UFRGS in Eldorado do Sul in 2000, 2001 and 2002. Three treatments were established at the beginning of the flowering season: the presence only of honeybees, A. mellifera (a); exclusion of honeybees and all other insects (b) using in both treatments two nylon net cages, and free access to honeybees and all other insects (c). Mean seed production on the three years was 5.4 and 85.5 kg/ha on the treatments a and c, respectively. In the isolated area (b) there were no legumes and seed formation and the number of flowers unfertilized was high, which made these plants dependent on pollinator insects. It was concluded that A. mellifera was not efficient in A. latifolia pollination. A. mellifera collects nectar between the calyx and the corolla and therefore does not expose the flower reproductive organs. A. latifolia depends on wild bees such as Megachille sp. and Centris sp. for adequate pollination.
honey bee; Centris sp.; legumes; Megachille sp
