Abstract
Characteristics correlated with beekeeping production, less influenced by the environment and that can be controlled by management techniques, can help in the selection of colonies with higher production capacity, aiming to improve breeding programs. This research was carried out to evaluate the production of Africanized Apis mellifera drones and the longevity of spermatozoa from different genetic groups when supplemented with protein or not. Two genetic groups were used: one selected for royal jelly production from the Africanized honeybee breeding program and another without genetic selection. In both groups, the number of drone brood and the quality of semen were evaluated every 30 days, for five months. Statistical analysis was performed using Bayesian Inference. Statistical difference was found for the drone production among the treatments, and colonies without genetic selection produced more males (187.80 ± 11.15) than the selected colonies (93.07 ± 8.88). The selected colonies for royal jelly production presented greater efficiency in the reproductive cycle of males, because they produced fewer drones than colonies without genetic selection, however, with 31% greater semen viability.
Highlights
Africanized honeybees have high genetic diversity and high selection potential (Baitala et al, 2010)
Characteristics correlated with beekeeping production, which are less influenced by the environment and that can be controlled by management techniques, can help in the selection of colonies with higher production capacity, aiming to improve breeding programs
The present study aimed to evaluate the production of Africanized Apis mellifera honeybee drones, spermatozoa longevity and viability in a group of genetically selected drones for royal jelly production, and in another group without genetic selection
Summary
Africanized honeybees have high genetic diversity and high selection potential (Baitala et al, 2010). Much of the semen deposited by males is unused, only about 10% is transferred to the queen's oviduct, while 3% to 5% is stored into the spermatheca for use in egg fertilization (Seitz et al, 2015). The nutrition of these spermatozoa occurs by the presence of sugars, amino acids, vitamins, and lipids contained in seminal fluid (Baer, Heazlewood, Taylor, Eubel, & Millar, 2009). The study evaluated if protein supplementation influences these evaluated parameters
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