Fibremass (lint mass) of conventional upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) was significantly higher after outcross pollination than after selfing. Hence, outcross pollination (e.g.transfer of pollen from flowers of one individual to another individual of the same species by bees) enhances fruit quality and hence the income of the smallholders.

Taxonomic list of Hymenoptera visitor species to the flowers of conventional upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum, Malvaceae) and sesame (Sesamum indicum, Pedaliaceae), their number of visits and their efficiency in terms of fruit set. Crosses indicate the initiation of fruit set, dashes no successful pollination. Flower visitors were recorded on 300 flowers per crop species, at three sites in the south of Burkina Faso, West-Africa during the flowering season in summer 2015. Scoliidae are scoliid wasps; Apidae are long-tongued bees including honeybees, small and large carpenter bees and stingless bees; Halictidae are sweat bees and Megachilidae mason bees.

flower visitor observations were carried out for 180hours in the dry and rainy season 2014 in Dano, Burkina Faso. Flower visitors were considered as potential pollinators when either touching anthers or stigma of the flowers and thus potentially transferring pollen grains. Since Moringa oleifera originates from the Himalaya region, hardls anything is known about its reproductive ecology in West Africa.

Table of the 10 most abundant bee species in fields of a) conventional cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) and b) sesame (Sesamum indicum) and their abundances in savanna sites in all three study areas. Data were collected with pantraps for a period of 21 months in 2014 and 2015 (bee sampling in the crop fields only during two rainy seasons from June to October when crops were in bloom) in a total of 12 savanna sites, 11 cotton fields, 11 sesame fields of ca. 1ha each in the south of Burkina Faso, West-Africa.

Total abundance of bee species in savannas of low (Nazinga area), medium (Bontioli area) and high (Dano area) disturbance intensity in the south of Burkina Faso. Data were collected with pan traps for a period of 21 months in 2014 and 2015 covering dry and rainy seasons of both years. Bees were sampled at 12 savanna sites and 11 nearby cotton fields and 11 sesame fields of ca. 1ha each. Bee sampling in the crop fields was carried out only during the rainy seasons from June to September (cotton: 2014 and 2015; sesame: 2015) when crops were in bloom.