Melissopalynological Analysis of Honey for Assessment of Nectariferous Resources of European Honey Bees (Apis mellifera L.) in Mid Hills of Himachal Pradesh

Author: Kiran Rana, Abhivivek, Rohit Kumar Nayak, Monika, Mangla Ram Bajiya and Narinderjeet Singh

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Abstract

The experiment was carried out to determine the nectar resources of the European honey bees (Apis mellifera L.) through melissopalynological analysis of honey samples at Dr. YS Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry, Nauni (Solan) Himachal Pradesh. Three colonies of A. mellifera were chosen from the existing stock in the university apiary with high honey hoarding to collect honey samples throughout the year at a 15 days interval. Melissopalynological analysis of honey samples from A. mellifera throughout the year revealed the presence of 47 nectar resources from 23 different families, including the following: Asteraceae, Rosaceae, Fabaceae, Malvaceae, Violaceae, Caprifoliaceae, Myrtaceae, Lythraceae, Apiaceae, Proteaceae, Bignoniaceae, Meliaceae, Apocynaceae, Euphorbiaceae, Mimosaceae, Chenopodiaceae, Oxalidaceae, Aizoaceae, Cannabaceae, Sapindaceae, Lamiaceae, Acanthaceae and Cruciferae. The Asteraceae family (9) had the most species that produced nectar, followed by the Rosaceae family (8) and the Fabaceae family (7). The identified nectar flora includes weeds, ornamentals, horticultural plants, food plants, oil seed plants, and wild plants. This study contributes knowledge about nectariferous foraging plants that is crucial for the growth of A. mellifera colonies in mid hills of Himachal Pradesh.

Keywords

Melissopalynological analysis, honey samples, Apis mellifera, nectar resources

Conclusion

The identification of nectar sources for honey bees and an improvement in plant conservation will be made possible by the studies on pollen morphology and the melissopalynological analysis of honey. Farmers can be advised to plant and conserve crops with multiple uses that can also be food for honeybees.

References

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How to cite this article

Kiran Rana, Abhivivek, Rohit Kumar Nayak, Monika, Mangla Ram Bajiya and Narinderjeet Singh (2022). Melissopalynological Analysis of Honey for Assessment of Nectariferous Resources of European Honey Bees (Apis mellifera L.) in Mid Hills of Himachal Pradesh. Biological Forum – An International Journal, 14(4): 1175-1181.