The first ITS2 sequence data set of eDNA from honey of Malaysian giant honeybees (Apis dorsata) and stingless bees (Heterotrigona itama) reveals plant species diversity

Abstract

Objectives Pollen is a useful tool for identifying the provenance and complex ecosystems surrounding honey production in Malaysian forests. As native key pollinators in Malaysia, Apis dorsata and Heterotrigona itama forage on various plant/pollen species to collect honey. This study aims to generate a dataset that uncovers the presence of these plant/pollen species and their relative abundance in the honey of A. dorsata and H. itama. The information gathered from this study can be used to determine the geographical and botanical origin and authenticity of the honey produced by these two species. Results Sequence data were obtained for both A. dorsata and H. itama. The raw sequence data for A. dorsata was 5 Mb, which was assembled into 5 contigs with a size of 6,098,728 bp, an N50 of 15,534, and a GC average of 57.42. Similarly, the raw sequence data for H. itama was 6.3 Mb, which was assembled into 11 contigs with a size of 7,642,048 bp, an N50 of 17,180, and a GC average of 55.38. In the honey sample of A. dorsata, we identified five different plant/pollen species, with only one of the five species exhibiting a relative abundance of less than 1%. For H. itama, we identified seven different plant/pollen species, with only three of the species exhibiting a relative abundance of less than 1%. All of the identified plant species were native to Peninsular Malaysia, especially the East Coast area of Terengganu. Data description Our data offers valuable insights into honey’s geographical and botanical origin and authenticity. Metagenomic studies could help identify the plant species that honeybees forage and provide preliminary data for researchers studying the biological development of A. dorsata and H. itama. The identification of various flowers from the eDNA of honey that are known for their medicinal properties could aid in regional honey with accurate product origin labeling, which is crucial for guaranteeing product authenticity to consumers.

Using pollen DNA metabarcoding to trace the geographical and botanical origin of honey from Karangasem, Indonesia

“…The honey produced by A . cerana and H. itama in the present study was juxtaposed with that produced by A. dorsata and H. itama [ 30 ]. This comparison conclusively revealed that all plant species contributing to the honey were indigenous to Peninsular Malaysia, with a particular emphasis on the East Coast region of Terengganu, Malaysia.…”

“… Comparison of pollen composition at the genus level between honey samples from Malaysia [ 30 ] and Karangasem, Bali, Indonesia (present study). Each represents particular pollen genus in the honey samples.…”

“…Only Syzygium appears in as overlapping floral source of honeybee, highlighting a common nectar source despite regional differences Indonesia and Malaysia. Floral source of Malaysian honey for Giant honeybee ( A. dorsata) represented by Corynandra viscosa , Syzygium cumini , Scaevola taccada , Syzygium claviflorum and Mallotus paniculatus, while stingless be ( H. itama ) floral source represented by Mallotus paniculatus , Cleome rutidosperma, Acacia mangium, Mimosa pudica, Eleucine indica, Richardia brasiliensis, and Ludwigia hyssopifolia [ 30 ].…”