Honey Plants Research Articles

Segetal plants of agricultural landscapes of the Southern Non‐Chernozem zone as a source of biological resources

Aim. To identify economically significant species of segetal plants of agrophytocenoses in the Southern Non‐Chernozem zone and assess their dynamics with changes in anthropogenic load.The study was carried out by analysing geobotanical descriptions of agrophytocenoses in the Southern Non‐Chernozem Zone. The species diversity of economically important species was established during the period of extensive farming (1929–1933), the beginning of intensification (1936–1938), a high level of intensification (1981–1983), and a period of decreasing intensity of farming (2012–2022).At all stages of the study, groups of forage, medicinal and honey plants were round to have a high species diversity. The presence of individual representatives of vegetable, vitamin, insecticidal and ornamental species in agrophytocenoses was established.Changes in the nature and degree of anthropogenic pressure on agrophytocenoses has led to a significant transformation of species composition and abundance of representatives of economically significant groups. The smallest number of these was noted in the 1980s. Currently, species diversity has increased due to a decrease in the intensity of agriculture in the region.

Physicochemical Characterization and Antioxidant Activity of Jara Honey Produced in Western Georgia

The purpose of this research article was to study the physicochemical characteristics of semi-wild Jara honey grown in Western Georgia. Jara honey is produced in the alpine and sub-alpine forest zone of high mountain Adjara, which is distinguished by its variety of honey plants. The physicochemical characteristics were examined concerning the Alimemtarius Code and EU regulations: moisture content, total carbohydrates, free acidity, pH, electrical conductivity, microelements (Li, Na, K, Mg, Ca), color, total phenols, total phenolic acids, total flavonoids, proline, diastase activity, proteins, and microscopic study of pollens. Using the UPLC-MSB method, grayanotoxin-III was identified in the semi-wild Jara honey samples. The findings demonstrated that the honey has significant concentrations of phenols, phenolic acids, and flavonoids. A directly proportional relationship was established between the quantitative content of phenolic compounds and the antioxidant activity of honey. This article is the first study of the characteristics of Jara honey produced in Western Georgia.

Эколого-биологическая характеристика медоносных растений Удмуртской Республики

Abstract. The purpose is to analyze honey–bearing resources, biological forms and species diversity of natural, cultural and adventitious honey-bearing flora in the territory of the Udmurt Republic to create a scheme-map of the honey conveyor. Methods. In the study of this issue “Methods of conducting research in beekeeping” (2003), “Plant determinant of Udmurtia” were used. Results. As of January 1, 2023, the area of agricultural land in all land categories amounted to 1838.3 thousand ha, or 43.7 %, non-gricultural land – 2367.8 thousand hectares, or 56.3 % of the total land fund of the Udmurt Republic. The area of coniferous plants has increased by an average of 38 % since 1966, and hardwood by 35 %. The dynamics of the increase in areas for many species is positive – pine, spruce, ash, elm, alder, linden, willows. The life forms of honey plants of the republic have a different ratio: the largest number of 73 species are grasses (65.2 %), 29 are trees (25.8 %) and 10 are shrubs (9 %). When analyzing data on the flowering of honey plants in Udmurtia, most plants bloom in the off-season – 72.5 %, 25.8 % – in summer, spring. There are plants of prolonged flowering, and honey plants that bloom only in September are absent. The main honey-bearing crop is small-leaved linden. It has a large honey reserve; its specific weight of honey reserve is 90.92 %. To develop the honey reserve of the Udmurt Republic, it is necessary to have a number of bee colonies 4.5 times higher than the current level, which is 224.75 thousand bee colonies. Scientific novelty. Beekeeping in the Udmurt Republic is a promising area of agriculture in the development of forest and agricultural lands, the possibility of improving it and using the export of bees to the honey harvest, taking into account the flowering time of honeybees of natural and agricultural honeybees and active nomads.

Quantifying Nectar Secretion Capacity of Dombeya torrida (J. F. Gmel.) for Honey Production

The honey production potential of a honey plant is assessed based on the total floral nectar secretion capacity of the plant foraged by honeybees within a specific location. This study aimed to assess the honey production potential of Dombeya torrida plants by examining their nectar secretion dynamics. A group of flowers was enclosed with mesh bags a day before collecting nectar to measure the accumulated volume. Nectar volume, concentration, and ambient temperature were measured at hourly intervals. The data collected were analyzed using statistical methods including one-way ANOVA and linear regression. The average sugar content per flower per season was found to be 14.3 mg, with a range from 2.3 to 47 mg. Based on this, each D. torrida tree was estimated to secrete an average of 0.94 kg of sugar, with a range from 0.15 to 3.1 kg. Nectar volume and concentration varied throughout the day, with temperature significantly influencing nectar concentration. The study estimated that a single D. torrida tree could yield around 1.2 kg of honey per flowering season, with a range from 0.18 to 3.78 kg. Additionally, on a larger scale, D. torrida plants were projected to produce an average of 300 kilograms of honey per hectare, ranging from 45 kg to 945 kg. These findings suggest that D. torrida has considerable potential for honey production. Consequently, planting and conservation of this plant for sustainable honey production practices is recommended.

Diversity of plant pollen sources, microbial communities, and phenolic compounds present in bee pollen and bee bread.

The pollination of several crops, as well as wild plants, depends on honeybees. To get the nutrients required for growth and survival, honeybee colonies are dependent on pollen supply. Bee pollen (BP) is partially packed in honeycomb cells and processed into beebread (BB) by microbial metabolism. The composition of pollen is highly variable and is mainly dependent on ecological habitat, geographical origin, honey plants, climatic conditions, and seasonal variations. Although there are important differences between the BP and the BB, little comparative chemical and microbiological data on this topic exists in the literature, particularly for samples with the same origin. In this study, BP and BB pollen samples were collected from two apiaries located in the Campania and Molise regions of Southern Italy. Phenolic profiles were detected via HPLC, while antioxidant activity was determined by ABTS·+ and DPPH· assay. The next-generation sequencing (NGS) based on RNA analysis of 16S (rRNA) and internal transcribed spacer (ITS2) regions were used to investigate the microbial community (bacteria and fungi) and botanical origin of the BP and BB. Chemical analysis showed a higher content of flavonols in BP (rutin, myricetin, quercetin, and kaempferol), while in BB there was a higher content of phenolic acids. The NGS analysis revealed that the microbial communities and pollen sources are dependent on the geographical location of apiaries. In addition, diversity was highlighted between the microbial communities present in the BP and BB samples collected from each apiary.

Alien species of nectar-bearing plants of Ukraine’s flora

Alien species pose a significant threat to global biodiversity, competing with local species, gradually displacing them, and often leading to their demise. Alien plants, in particular, pose a direct threat to native plant diversity as well as the management of ecosystems, agriculture, and forestry. The main reason for the appearance of alien species in ecosystems where they are not native is human activity. Most alien plant species have become so due to introduction for cultivation purposes, thanks to their medicinal, honey-producing, and other beneficial properties for humans. Therefore, knowledge of their biology, potential for expansion, as well as possible monitoring and control methods, is extremely important. After all, obtaining the maximum benefit for meeting public needs without harming the environment is an urgent task today. Among alien species, invasive species are the most dangerous for the loss of biodiversity. However, currently in Ukraine, there are no officially approved lists of alien and invasive species, their inventory has not been conducted, monitoring and risk assessment systems are absent, and there are no adequate and coordinated measures to counteract biotic invasions. Therefore, the purpose of our work was to conduct an analysis of the flora of Ukraine, to identify alien, including invasive plants, are honey and/or pollen-producing, and compile their list. As a result of the analysis, 63 alien, including 16 invasive species of vascular plants with honey and pollenproducing properties were identified, belonging to 28 families and 56 genera. Particularly valuable invasive honey plants include: Helianthus annuus L., Robinia pseudoacacia L., Asclepias syriaca L., Paulownia tomentosa (Thunb.) Siebold & Zucc., Solidago canadensis L., which can provide significant industrial honey production. Considering that such invasive plants (which are also honey-producing) as Cucurbita pepo L., Raphanus sativus L., Helianthus annuus L., Juglans nigra L., Prunus armeniaca L. and Vitis vinifera L. are agricultural crops, their spread is usually limited to agricultural lands. Therefore, their invasions into natural ecosystems are minimal, and the benefits are undeniable. However, when cultivating alien plants, it is always worth considering the benefit and economic gain against their real or potential threat to natural ecosystems.

Occurrence of 3-methoxytyramine in Cuban honeys

Honey adulteration is a subject of great concern worldwide. The compound 3-methoxytyramine (3-MT) is one of the biomarkers used to determine adulteration or contamination with sugar, syrups, and other products of beetroot (Beta vulgaris) from Amaranthaceae family. However, there is scientific evidence of the presence of 3-methoxytyramine in other species of this family, some of which, reported in Cuba. As honey plants, bees use them to carry nectar and pollen to hives to make honey, therefore, there is a possibility to detect 3-methoxytyramine in these samples, not only in Cuban's honeys samples, but also worldwide.

IDENTIFICATION OF THE BOTANICAL ORIGIN AND DETERMINATION OF PHYSICOCHEMICAL PARAMETERS OF HONEY SAMPLES COLLECTED FROM THE SARY-CHELEK BIOSPHERE RESERVE OF KYRGYZSTAN

Sary-Chelek Biosphere Reserve is one of the richest rare flora and animal reserves in Kyrgyzstan. The natural environment of the Sary-Chelek Biosphere Reserve is exceptionally favourable to high-quality honey production. Botanical authenticity is the main factor influencing honey prices, as it has a direct impact on the quality of honey. Producing monofloral honey in a natural landscape is challenging because, throughout the beekeeping season, multiple melliferous plants bloom at the same time. The article describes for the first time the botanical origin and physicochemical characteristics of honey collected in this biosphere reserve and also determines the influence of the dominant honey plant on organoleptic, physicochemical, and food safety indicators. Pollen grains of 50 taxa of nectar sources and about 10 taxa of pollen sources were identified. There were unique plant pollens in the samples; nine of the samples were monofloral honey—three of sage (Salvia officinalis L.), four of thyme (Thymus vulgaris L.), and two of eremurus (Eremurus fuscus O.Fedtsch), and eight samples were polyfloral honey. High diastase activity was found in samples of thyme honey (41.1 ± 2.9 Gothe) and in samples of sage honey (31.3 ± 2.2 Gothe). The physicochemical and food safety parameters of the honey samples comply with the established norms and international standards.

Analysis of Free Amino Acid Composition and Honey Plant Species in Seven Honey Species in China.

Honey is well-known as a food product that is rich in active ingredients and is very popular among consumers. Free amino acids (FAAs) are one of the important nutritional components of honey, which can be used not only as a nutritional indicator of honey but also as an indicator of plant source identification. In this study, the contents of 20 FAAs in seven types of honey from 11 provinces in China were examined for the first time. The 20 FAAs were analyzed by ultra-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS/MS). By analyzing 93 honey samples from seven types of honey, the FAAs were found to range from 394.4 mg/kg (linden honey) to 1771.7 mg/kg (chaste honey). Proline ranged from 274.55 to 572.48 mg/kg, and methionine was only present in some of the linden honey, chaste honey, acacia honey, and rape honey. Evaluated by amino acid principal component analysis, multifloral grassland honey had the highest overall evaluation score, acacia and jujube honey were the most similar, while chaste honey was the least similar to the other types of honey. In addition, DNA was extracted from 174 Xinjiang grassland honey samples and different plant leaves for PCR and sequencing to identify the species of nectar plants. As a result, 12 families and 25 species of honey plants were identified. The results confirmed the diversity of FAAs in dissimilar types and sources of honey. This study provides a reference for expanding honey quality standards and verifying the authenticity of honey.

Marketing research of honey consumer preferences in the markets of Kostanay region

Bee honey is a valuable, multicomponent unique product produced by bees from the nectar of honey plants. In the human diet, honey is an alternative to sugar and sugar-containing foods as a healthier food product.
 Within the framework of this article, a marketing study and analysis of preferences among consumers of honey and other bee products among residents of Kostanay and the region were conducted.
 Today, about 50% of honey is produced in China, Argentina, the USA, Ukraine, Turkey, and Russia. Honey exporting countries are characterized by flexible economic and organizational interaction. The main role is played by the mechanisms of legal protection and the developed infrastructure of the industry, which ensures full-fledged work, sales of products, and the receipt of foreign exchange earnings to the country's budget.
 The materials of this article contain an analysis of the types of bee products consumed, quality criteria when choosing honey, other bee products, as well as factors determining the choice of consumers. Also, the priorities of the origin of honey (apiaries) have been determined among consumers.
 The study grouped the key characteristics of honey consumers in the areas of Kostanay region that affect their behavior, desires and preferences. By quantitative analysis of the results of the survey of the target audience, an average portrait of buyers of honey and other bee products has been compiled, which can be used by entrepreneurs at all stages of planning and promoting their products.
 A literary review of the state of knowledge of this issue was conducted, citing articles from domestic and foreign sources.
 The results obtained can be used by domestic producers in the development and optimization of a strategy for promoting bee products.

Melissopalynological analysis and microbiological safety of fresh and market honey (Apis mellifera L. and Meliponulabeccarii L.) from Western Oromia, Ethiopia

Honey is a natural product that is made by bees from the nectar of flowering plants. There is a flora preference by bees. Like other foods ready to eat,honey can be prone to microbial contamination. Honey plant sources can be analyzed from the composition of pollen grains in honey samples. The objective of this study was to assess microbial safety and floral origin of the honey samples. For this study, honey samples were purchased from local market, and collected from hives (fresh honey) in Western Oromia. Floral analysis was determined using harmonized method of melissopalynology. Microbiological safety was assessed through the pour plate procedures from the first serial dilution on a total of 45 honey sample sizes.The melissopalynological analysis demonstrated that A. melliferahoney purchased from the market(AMMH) was considered a multi-floral type while A. mellifera fresh honey (AMFH) cropped directly from the hive and M.beccarii honey purchased from the market (MBMH) was dominated pollen from Coffee arabica (68 % of its pollen grain counted) and Guizotiascabra (50.53 % of its pollen grain counted) plant, respectively. The Aerobic mesophilic bacteria, Staphylococci, Yeast, Mould, and Aerobic spore-forming bacteria were found below the standard countable level (<30 cfu/plate) from A. mellifera and M.beccarii honey bought from the market, while A. mellifera honey collected directly from the hive became free of any microbial contamination. C.arabica and G.scabra are major honey plants and their honey can be harvested in February and October, respectively. Furthermore, Vernoniaamygdalina, Eucalyptus spp, Combretummolle, Trifoliumruppelianum, and Syzgiumguineense were honey plants analyzed from multifloral market honey even though, their pollen dominance varies. M. beccarii visits herbaceous flora whilst A. mellifera visits all floral types. The level of contamination of the honey samples from the study area was very low showing its safety.

Potentials of palynotaxa for apicultural entrepreneurships: Implication for conservation and policy

The contemporary global economic meltdown has devastating effect on the economy of most rural people in Africa in general and Nigeria in particular. The frantic search for alternative source of national revenue aside from oil and gas has become imperative for economic emancipation of Nigerians. Knowledge of plants foraged by bees for pollen and nectar becomes a panacea to this challenge. This study analysed the pollen spectrum of four honey samples collected from Southern Nigeria in order to determine the richness of the honey plants in the area, and to highlight the potential of these species in apicultural entrepreneurship in Nigeria for green growth economy, using Shannon-Wiener Diversity Index after a standard acetolysis method. A total number of 39 palynotaxa belonging to 21 plant families and distributed in 39 genera were identified. Fabaceae had the highest plant species (11 species), followed by Euphorbiaceae (5 species). The study revealed that Elaeis guineensis Jacq, Anacardium occidentale L. Diospyros mespiliformis Hochist ex ADC, Alchornea cordifolia (Muell)Arg, Daniella oliveri (Rolfe) Hutch &amp; Dalz, Irvingia wombolu Okafor ex Baill, Treculia africana Decne, Nauclea latifolia Smith and Crossopteryx febrifuga Afzil ex Benth, were the dominant honey plants. The palynotaxa spectrum did not vary greatly in the four samples; however, Shannon diversity index was low to moderate (H= 2.7 -3.1). This baseline information has provided opportunity and amazing potentials for apicultural enterprise in these areas. However, most of these honey plants are rare, threatened and endangered. This calls for urgent conservation strategies by all players. Policy programmes could increase production and productivity of hive products through capacity- building for local populace.

Nectar Characteristics and Honey Production Potential of Five Rapeseed Cultivars and Two Wildflower Species in South Korea

The growing beekeeping industry in South Korea has led to the establishment of new honey plant complexes. However, studies on honey production from each species are limited. This study aimed to assess the honey production potential of various Brassica napus cultivars and two wildflower species. The nectar characteristics of B. napus varied significantly among the cultivars. Absolute sugar concentrations differed among the cultivars, but sugar composition ratios were similar. In contrast, the amino acid content remained relatively uniform regarding percentage values, irrespective of the absolute concentrations. Estimations of honey potential production per hectare (kg/ha) resulted in the following ranking among cultivars: ‘JM7003’ (107.1) &gt; ‘YS’ (73.0) &gt; ‘JM7001’ (63.7) &gt; ‘TL’ (52.7) &gt; ‘TM’ (42.4). The nectar volume of Pseudolysimachion rotundum var. subintegrum and Leonurus japonicus increased during the flowering stage. P. rotundum var. subintegrum was sucrose-rich and L. japonicus was sucrose-dominant. Both species predominantly contained phenylalanine, P. rotundum var. subintegrum had glutamine as the second most abundant amino acid, and L. japonicus had tyrosine. The honey production potential was 152.4 kg/ha for P. rotundum var. subintegrum and 151.3 kg/ha for L. japonicus. These findings provide a basis for identifying food resources for pollinators and selecting plant species to establish honey plant complexes.

Modern methods of assess- ing the resources of honeylands

An information review of innovative methods for assessing the resources of honey-bearing lands is presented. The relevance and problems of their use are noted. Alternative strategies for determining the resource potential of honey-bearing lands are shown. Scientific methods of identifying honey plants are described: the study of vegetation, analysis of the chemical composition of honey and its properties, the use of drones to survey honey grounds, and the use of artificial intelligence to process large amounts of data about honey grounds. GPS (global positioning system) technologies, which allow accurate geospatial mapping of homelands, are currently the most widespread. The identification of honey plants to improve the food supply is carried out by various methods: floral analysis of vegetation, pollen analysis, informational analysis of vegetation, and observation of the behaviour of bees in hives. New techniques for determining the land’s honey reserves and the flowering intensity of honey plants are presented: collecting nectar samples and sugar content in nectar, which helps collect data on nectar productivity and nectar quality with greater accuracy and efficiency. RFID tags are widely used for producing and managing honey stocks, monitoring the condition of hives, and determining bee colonies’ productivity. Thanks to advances in technology and scientific research, many new approaches allow for more accurate and efficient selection of resource aspects of honey lands.

A Novel Algorithm to Detect White Flowering Honey Trees in Mixed Forest Ecosystems Using UAV-Based RGB Imaging

Determining the productive potential of flowering vegetation is crucial in obtaining bee products. The application of a remote sensing approach of terrestrial objects can provide accurate information for the preparation of maps of the potential bee pasture in a given region. The study is aimed at the creation of a novel algorithm to identify and distinguish white flowering honey plants, such as black locust (Robinia pseudo-acacia) and to determine the areas occupied by this forest species in mixed forest ecosystems using UAV-based RGB imaging. In our study, to determine the plant cover of black locust in mixed forest ecosystems we used a DJI (Da-Jiang Innovations, Shenzhen, China) Phantom 4 Multispectral drone with 6 multispectral cameras with 1600 × 1300 image resolution. The monitoring was conducted in the May 2023 growing season in the village of Yuper, Northeast Bulgaria. The geographical location of the experimental region is 43°32′4.02″ N and 25°45′14.10″ E at an altitude of 223 m. The UAV was used to make RGB and multispectral images of the investigated forest massifs, which were thereafter analyzed with the software product QGIS 3.0. The spectral images of the observed plants were evaluated using the newly created criteria for distinguishing white from non-white colors. The results obtained for the scanned area showed that approximately 14–15% of the area is categorized as white-flowered trees, and the remaining 86–85%—as non-white-flowered. The comparison of the developed algorithm with the Enhanced Bloom Index (EBI) approach and with supervised Support Vector Machine (SVM) classification showed that the suggested criterion is easy to understand for users with little technical experience, very accurate in identifying white blooming trees, and reduces the number of false positives and false negatives. The proposed approach of detecting and mapping the areas occupied by white flowering honey plants, such as black locust (Robinia pseudo-acacia) in mixed forest ecosystems is of great importance for beekeepers in determining the productive potential of the region and choosing a place for an apiary.

Антропогенная трансформация растительного покрова поймы реки Иртыш

The article considers the current state of the vegetation cover of the Irtysh River floodplain within its flat steppe section (Pavlodar Priirtyshye) under the conditions of anthropogenic transformation of the hydrological regime. A description of the landscape confinement of the main classes of floodplain vegetation formations is given. The main factors of anthropogenic impact on the vegetation cover in the form of grazing, recreation, haymaking, fires, littering with solid household waste, etc. Criteria and indicators of disturbance are developed. A description of the botanical biodiversity with an analysis of the economic spectrum of the flora (forage, medicinal, food, honey plants, poisonous, ornamental, technical plant species) is provided. The territory's flora contains 9 species listed in the Red Book, however, during the field survey, only Stipa pennata L. was noted. The eight main threats to botanical biodiversity are described: changes in the hydrological regime of the river; cattle grazing on the floodplain meadows; spring burning of dry grass; grazing and watering of cattle on the river bank; creation dams; illegal collection of ornamental red-listed plants; plowing of steppe landscapes on floodplain terraces; anthropogenic invasion of alien flora. Based on the analysis of geobotanical descriptions, phytoindicators of environmental conditions (moisture, salinization, chemical and mechanical composition of the soil, grazing load, etc.) for this region were identified. Recommendations are proposed to reduce the negative anthropogenic impact, preserve species and coenotic biodiversity, and methods for restoring disturbed areas in the context of climate change and modern transboundary use of the Irtysh River.

Functional value of biologically active honey components

The article shows data on diastase activity and pollen analysis of honey from apiaries in the south of the Tyumen region. The research was conducted in the period 2017-2022. Honey maturation is a complex biochemical process in which biologically active substances, which include lysozyme and amylase, formed in the digestive glands of worker bees, play a significant role. They provide honey with high biological properties. Lysozyme is an antibacterial enzyme produced in the body of animals that prevents the penetration of microbes, viruses and fungi into honey. Amylase - breaks down the complex carbohydrates of nectar, converting them into glucose and fructose. These enzymes in bees are formed to a greater extent in the maxillary and pharyngeal glands. These are the high biological properties of honey. During the work on the pollen analysis of honey, it was revealed that the honey of apiaries in the south of the Tyumen region is polyphlorous, since pollen grains of various honey plants were identified in the studied honey samples, which included linden, sweet clover, rapeseed, esparcet, winter cress, dandelion, clover, sow thistle. The results of diastase activity determination showed that in experimental honey samples the diastase number was in the range from 8.0 to 23.8%, high diastase activity characterizes the quality of honey, since it, undergoing prolonged biochemical treatment, is more saturated with enzymes and biologically active substances. According to the research results, honey with high diastase activity includes samples from apiaries of Yalutorovsky and Isetsky districts.

DYNAMICS OF GREEN BIOMASS AND DRY MATTER YIELD FORMATION IN ESPARCET AS AFFECTED BY ELEMENTS OF CULTIVATION TECHNOLOGY

Perennial legume crops are crucial for solving the problem of feed protein. In addition, due to the ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen, they constitute the basis of biological farming in today’s agriculture. Among a number of perennial legume crops, esparcet deserves special attention, as it ensures a steady yield of green biomass. It is not highly demanding on soil fertility. Also, it is a good honey plant and medicinal crop. The article discusses the influence of the elements of cultivation technology on the yield of green biomass and dry matter in esparect. The highest yields of green biomass and dry matter of the biomass for 2 harvests were obtained for harvesting at the start of the budding stage at a sowing rate of 6 million seeds/ha, a row width of30 cm, and the application of fertiliser N30P60K90: 43.4 t/ha of green biomass and 11.0 t/ha of dry matter. We found that the influence of the studied factors was not the same. The highest yields were obtained at a sowing rate of 6 million seeds/ha, while an increase in the sowing rate to 7 million seeds/ha or a decrease to 5 million seeds/ha led to a decrease in yield. The lowest yields were recorded in a control treatment at a sowing rate of 5 million seeds/ha: 37.1 t/ha of green biomass and 8.1 t/ha of dry matter. The highest yields were obtained at a sowing rate of 6 million seeds/ha: 38.4 t/ha of green biomass and 8.7 t/ha of dry matter. An increase in the sowing rate to 7 million seeds/ha did not increase the yield, but led to a slight decrease in the yield of dry biomass and dry matter: 37.8 t/ha and 8.6 t/ha, respectively. The factor of fertilisation was less influent. When nitrogen was added to the phosphorus-potassium fertiliser N30P60K90, we recorded the highest yields: 43.4 t/ha of dry biomass and 11.0 t/ha of dry matter. With an increase in nitrogen rate to N45P60K90, the yield of green biomass remained at the same level; however, the yield of dry matter slightly decreased to 10.8 t/ha.

Biomorphological and ecological-cenotic analysis of honey species in the flora of the Chechen republic

There is a close relationship between honey bees and flowering plants. These plants have healing properties and are used by bees as food. Plants that produce nectar and pollen play an important role in the agriculture of the Chechen Republic. This report provides a generic and ecological-coenotic analysis of honey-bearing species in the flora of the Chechen Republic. On the territory of the Chechen Republic there are 160 species of honey plants, which belong to 77 genera, united in 29 families. The analysis is based on the processing of herbarium materials and field observations conducted by the authors.

Honey Plants of Düzce University Ornamental and Medicinal Plants Botanical Garden

In this study, melliferous plants that the honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) can benefit from among the taxa planted in Düzce University Ornamental and Medicinal Plants Botanical Garden, are presented. Among the 451 taxa planted in the botanical garden, those with these characteristics were determined by reviewing studies on the subject. Of the 165 taxa (36.58%) included in the honey plant class; 119 contain both nectar and pollen, 25 contain pollen, 13 contain nectar, 4 contain both pollen and insect secretion (IS) or sweet sap (SS), 2 contain pollen, nectar and IS or SS, 1 contain both nectar and SS, 1 contain only IS. In order to prevent the decrease in pollinator and pollinator insects, whose numbers are decreasing due to global climate change, a "Bee and Insect Hotel" was placed in the botanical garden. For this reason, the majority of the plants selected for planting were chosen from taxa with honey plant properties. The main purpose here is both to pollinate the plants in the botanical garden and to show and explain the effects of insect species on pollination through nature education.