-The present study determined the genetic variation at mrjps loci (mrjp3, mrjp5 and mrjp8) and evaluated the potential use of MRJPs as molecular markers for higher royal jelly production in Africanized honeybee colonies. The three analyzed loci produced a total of 17 alleles. This high allelic polymorphism indicated these loci could serve as genetic markers. The potential use of MRJPs as molecular markers for royal jelly production was evaluated by analyses of multiple linear regressions with EPD (expected progeny differences) values for royal jelly production. The variance analyses indicated that the mrjp3 repetitive region influenced the genetic value of queen's offspring for royal jelly production. The determination coefficient (R 2 ) for the significant alleles of the repetitive region of mrjp3 indicated that 36.85% of the EPD variation is explained by the variation of C, D and E alleles. Therefore, these three alleles present a considerable genetic effect on the variation of RJ production.Apis mellifera / MRJP-3 / genetic variability / polymorphism / EPD
Traditionally, melissopalynological and physicochemical analyses have been the most used to determine the botanical origin of honey. However, when performed individually, these analyses may provide less unambiguous results, making it difficult to discriminate between mono and multifloral honeys. In this context, with the aim of better characterizing this beehive product, a selection of 112 Lavandula spp. monofloral honey samples from several regions were evaluated by association of multivariate statistical techniques with physicochemical, melissopalynological and phenolic compounds analysis. All honey samples fulfilled the quality standards recommended by international legislation, except regarding sucrose content and diastase activity. The content of sucrose and the percentage of Lavandula spp. pollen have a strong positive association. In fact, it was found that higher amounts of sucrose in honey are related with highest percentage of pollen of Lavandula spp.. The samples were very similar for most of the physicochemical parameters, except for proline, flavonoids and phenols (bioactive factors). Concerning the pollen spectrum, the variation of Lavandula spp. pollen percentage in honey had little contribution to the formation of samples groups. The formation of two groups regarding the physicochemical parameters suggests that the presence of other pollen types in small percentages influences the factor termed as “bioactive”, which has been linked to diverse beneficial health effects.
This research was carried out to evaluate the pollination by Africanized honeybees Apis mellifera, the floral biology and to observe the hoarding behavior in the soybean flowers (Glycine maxMerril
The neonicotinoid thiamethoxam is widely used in different agricultural crops, and it has a spectrum of action against insects, affecting both pests and pollinators, such as bees. In this study, the effects of exposure to sublethal concentrations of thiamethoxam on stingless bees Scaptotrigona bipunctata were evaluated. Foragers bees were exposed to the insecticide and subjected to genetic biochemical, histochemical, and morphological analyses after 24, 48, and 72 h of ingestion. Analysis of isoenzyme esterases revealed significant alterations in the relative activity of EST-4, a type II cholinesterase. Evaluation of the S. bipunctata brain revealed changes in the state of chromatin condensation according to the exposure time and concentration of neonicotinoid compared with the control. Morphological changes were observed in the midgut of this species at all concentrations and exposure times, which may interfere with various physiological processes of these insects. We can conclude that, although thiamethoxam at the concentrations evaluated did not cause high mortality, it induced concentration-dependent changes in bees by activating enzymes related with the protection for xenobiotic, internal morphology and probably these changes may lead to alterations in the activity of bees.
The aim of this research was to analyze and compare 17 honey samples, 11 organic and six non-organic Apis mellifera honey. The samples were analyzed concerning moisture, hydroxymethylfurfural, diastase index, water activity, color, total sugar, reducing sugar, sucrose, ash, viscosity, electrical conductivity, pH, acidity, and formol index. With the exception of acidity, reducing sugar and diastase index, the averages of other parameters were different between the two groups. All samples of organic honey presented moisture values between 23.50 and 24.40%. Among the nonorganic honey samples, two presented apparent sucrose amount upper the maximum limit established by the Brazilian Legislation. According to the quantitative analysis of pollen sediments in the honey samples and frequency of pollen types in 17 honey samples, 41.20% were classified as unifloral, and the remainder as polifloral.
The aim of this study was to carry out a survey of the flora with potential for beekeeping in the counties of Ubiratã and Nova Aurora-PR through the collection of plants and pollen analyses in honey samples collected monthly. 208 species of plants were recorded, distributed in 66 families. The families that showed the major richness of pollen types were: Asteraceae, Myrtaceae and Solanaceae. Approximately 80 pollen types were found in honey samples, most of them were characterized as heterofloral. Cultivated plants, such as Glycine max (soybean) and Eucalyptus spp., were representative in some months of the year. Exotic species, such as Ricinus communis and Melia azedarach, were also frequent. However, over than 50% of the pollen types belong to native species of the region, such as Schinus terebinthifolius, Baccharis spp. Alchornea triplinervia, Parapiptadenia rigida, Hexaclamys edulis, Zanthoxylum sp. and Serjania spp., indicating the importance of the native vegetation for the survival of the colonies.
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