608. An over-time distribution map of the main Apis mellifera mitochondrial DNA lineage using honey as source of eDNA

Abstract

A growing interest across Europe is emerging to maintain the genetic integrity of honey bee populations and subspecies. In this study we combined different approaches to obtain an over-time distribution map of the main Apis mellifera mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) lineages in the North of Italy. mtDNA was analysed from individual honey bees and from honey. Honey is a source of environmental DNA (eDNA), which also contains traces of the DNA of the honey bees that have produced it. A total of about 1,600 honey samples produced in the North of Italy over four years (2018-2021) where analysed to detect the A, C1, C2 and M mtDNA lineages. The obtained results will be useful to design conservation strategies of A. mellifera genetic resources in Italy. We demonstrated that eDNA from honey can be exploited to design a cost-effective population genetic study in A. mellifera.