Melliferous Flora Research Articles

Botanical Origin and Biological Properties of Honey and Propolis from Cuautitlan, State of Mexico, Mexico.

Beekeeping is an activity that generates various products, mainly honey and propolis, with different biological activities that are studied extensively using various methodologies. The influence of various phenolic compounds, such as phenols and flavonoids, which are synthesized and concentrated differently in each product depending on the melliferous flora and sources of resources, on the manufacture of propolis or honey has been investigated. However, the analysis of these products has been performed separately and is outdated in time, and depending on the area and the flowering periods, different crops may be harvested. The analysis of the honey and propolis produced in Cuautitlan, State of Mexico, in the high plateau beekeeping zone, for a period of four years, both in the dry and rainy seasons, was proposed to determine the botanical origin of the honey and propolis. The primary pollen type in both honey and propolis was from Brassica rapa. Physicochemical tests were conducted, revealing higher concentrations of antimicrobial activity in the dry season than in the rainy season. Honey, propolis, and a vegetation extract showed activity against S. aureus, while only honey had an effect on E. coli in both seasons. For antifungal activity, only propolis collected in the rainy season had this activity. The biological properties of these products are closely related to the flora that varies both annually and between seasons, influencing the concentrations of phenolic compounds, as well as the biological activity of honey and propolis.

‘The rules of nature are changing; every year is unpredictable’: perceptions of climate change by beekeepers of Liguria, NW Italy

Beekeeping activity is a privileged lens for looking at the impacts of climate change since this human activity is profoundly and intimately embedded in the local ecology with particular reference to the flora. Therefore, we conducted 47 semi-structured interviews to identify the local perceptions of climate change impacts and their drivers among beekeepers of Liguria, a mountainous region of NW Italy. We found that beekeepers especially noticed changes in bee productivity and behaviour and melliferous flora productivity. Moreover, drought is a significant driver of changes in beekeeping as it affects both bees and melliferous plants. However, other drivers, namely alien species, pesticide spread, and abandonment of small-scale agriculture, also concur synergistically. We conclude that landscape planning sensitive to the needs and requests of beekeepers can further contribute to their adaptation to the impacts of climate change and reduce other detrimental phenomena on honeybee wellbeing by supporting small-scale agriculture to maintain a diverse landscape that provides fodder for pollinators.

Diversity and characteristics of the melliferous flora of Moroccan Macaronesia (Territory of Sidi Ifni)

The melliferous flora of Central Western Morocco, precisely in the territory of the Ait Baâmrane of Sidi Ifni Province was studied between 2016 and 2018 using surveys among beekeepers and by observing the behavior of bees towards flowers. The plants foraged by bees were collected, identified and listed. A total of 117 honey species were recorded, representing 41.64% of the 281 species of the total flora of the study area, belonging to 98 genera and 40 families. The Asteraceae family is the most represented with 17.95%, followed by Labiatae and Leguminosae with 6.84% each. The area is characterized by a high rate of endemism, estimated at 26.5% of the 117 melliferous species. However, there are species classified as rare and endangered taxa, estimated at 10 species. According to their biological types, Therophytes represent 36.75% of the foraged species, followed by Chamephytes (17.95%). Regarding the flowering period, it lasts throughout the year. Spring however is the most represented period with 42.45% of the plants, followed by summer with 28.98%, then winter and autumn, with 15.10% and 13.47% respectively. Melliferous plants with yellow flowers are the most attracted by bees (28.21%), followed by white flowers (24.79%). These listed plants are either foraged for their nectar and pollen (74.36%), only pollen (15.38%), or only nectar (8.55%). In addition, they have other uses, such as edible, medicinal, and others. It appears from this study that the conservation of the melliferous flora is very imperative in order to improve and promote the continuity of the beekeeping sector in the region.

Diversity of melliferous Flora (Apiaries) in Honey and microscopic authentication using LM and SEM Techniques

The diversity of melliferous flora is significant for sustaining healthy apiaries and apicultural research for the production of high-quality and quantity honey. This study aims to explore the richness and variety of melliferous plant species within apiaries, focusing on their role in honey yield and subsequently employing advanced microscopy techniques for their microscopic authentication. The study aimed to investigate the palyno-morphological features of selected bee floral species of the study area in the autumn and spring seasons. The pollen slides were prepared using the acetolysis method. Both qualitative and quantitative data of pollen grains were examined by LM and SEM. The four different types of ornamentation (scabrate, echinate, psilate, and reticulate) were observed in the morphological features of pollen. The maximum number of melliferous species was observed in the Fabaceae family (11 species) and the Asteraceae family (10 species). The LM and SEM techniques were recorded as the best tools to study the features of correct taxonomic identification and explore the valuable potential of melliferous flora and apiary resources for beekeepers. This finding contributes to a deeper understanding of a bee floral source of honey, ensuring its authenticity, purity, and nutritional value as well as ecological interaction between honeybee population and bee-floral diversity. Additionally, the finding highlights the significance of conserving and preserving melliferous flora for sustainable development of the apiculture industry, emphasizing the role of bee apiaries as essential resources for the bee population. The palynological features will help identify melliferous plants' potential in taxonomy, honey botanical, geographical origin, and pure honey availability in the local and international markets. This study provides knowledge about the species identifications, botanical and geographical origin of floral sources, and honeybees along with honey.

Influence of phenolic compounds and flavonoids on the colour and antioxidant activity of Melipona beecheii honey from deciduous forest of Yucatan, Mexico

The Melipona beecheii honey has bioactive compounds with high antioxidant activity that influence its colour. This research evaluated the influence of phenolic compounds and flavonoids on the colour and antioxidant activity of M. beecheii honeys. Forty-three honey samples from different site located in the low deciduous forest of Yucatan, Mexico, were extracted during the harvest and post-harvest seasons (2020 – 2021). The Pfund method was used to measure colour, Folin-Ciocalteu method for phenols measurement, aluminum chloride method for flavonoids determination, and ABTS and DPPH IC50 assay to determine antioxidants. The predominant colour of the honey was extra light amber and light amber at both seasons. Phenols ranged from 780 to 1317 mg/kg GAE; flavonoids from 36 to 55 mg/kg CE and antioxidant were 675 to 1161 µmol/kg TEAC by the ABTS and 361.8 to 173.0 mg/mL by the DPPH IC50. Phenols and flavonoids were correlated with colour and radical scavenging activity, indicating the influence of these compounds with the darker colour and higher antioxidant activity of honey. The statistically significant difference (P<0.05) between seasons could be associated with the botanical origin with great diversity of melliferous flora present in the low deciduous forest of the Yucatan Peninsula.
 
 Keywords: Antioxidant; colour; flavonoids; honey; Melipona beecheii.

FLORISTIC INVENTORY AND ANNUAL AVAILABILITY OF MELLIFEROUS FLORA IN CERVANTES Y LOZADA, CORDOBA MUNICIPALITY, VERACRUZ, MEXICO

Pollinators depend on the melliferous flora for food, in return, flowers are pollinated, which contributes for the maintenance of ecosystems and conservation of biodiversity, increasing food production and ensuring food security. This research aims to provide an inventory of melliferous flora and its annual availability in Cervantes y Lozada, Córdoba, Veracruz, Mexico. During 26 months, the plants interacting with bees were collected on defined rural roads; we also documented the resource provided by the flowers (pollen, honey, etc.), their origin (native or exotic), life form and flowering periods. From 122 collections, 76 melliferous species were inventoried, grouped in 74 genera and 35 botanical families, being Asteraceae (25 %) the family with more species, followed by Malvaceae (9.21 %) and Lamiaceae (7.89 %); 67.11 % are polliniferous, 7.86 % nectariferous, and 25 % provide both; 82.89 % are native and 17.11 % exotic; 15.79 % are trees, 28.95 % shrubs and 55.26 % herbs. Seven species provided resources for bees all year round, two for 10 months and the rest for shorter periods. The flora species that were inventoried have different uses, so it is important to protect and promote the sustainable management of the melliferous flora, which is essential for the conservation of the pollination service, which in turn is essential for agriculture and ecosystems, in addition to protecting species of social, ecological, and economic importance.

Polyphenol galangin induces the ROS and ER stress-mediated intrinsic and extrinsic apoptotic pathways towards human colon carcinoma HCT-116 cells

The Melipona beecheii honey has bioactive compounds with high antioxidant activity that influence its colour. This research evaluated the influence of phenolic compounds and flavonoids on the colour and antioxidant activity of M. beecheii honeys. Forty-three honey samples from different site located in the low deciduous forest of Yucatan, Mexico, were extracted during the harvest and post-harvest seasons (2020 – 2021). The Pfund method was used to measure colour, Folin-Ciocalteu method for phenols measurement, aluminum chloride method for flavonoids determination, and ABTS and DPPH IC50 assay to determine antioxidants. The predominant colour of the honey was extra light amber and light amber at both seasons. Phenols ranged from 780 to 1317 mg/kg GAE; flavonoids from 36 to 55 mg/kg CE and antioxidant were 675 to 1161 µmol/kg TEAC by the ABTS and 361.8 to 173.0 mg/mL by the DPPH IC50. Phenols and flavonoids were correlated with colour and radical scavenging activity, indicating the influence of these compounds with the darker colour and higher antioxidant activity of honey. The statistically significant difference (P<0.05) between seasons could be associated with the botanical origin with great diversity of melliferous flora present in the low deciduous forest of the Yucatan Peninsula.
 Keywords: Antioxidant; colour; flavonoids; honey; Melipona beecheii.

Temporally stacked bee forage species distribution modeling for flower abundance mapping

Predicting spatial distribution of flowering forage availability is critical for guiding migratory beekeeping decisions.Species distribution modelling (SDM) is widely used to predict the geographic distribution or species ranges. Stacked distributions of multiple species (S-SDM) have been used in predicting species richness or assemblages. Here, we present a method for stacking SDMs based on a temporal element, the flowering phenology of melliferous flora species. First, we used presence-only data for thirty key forage species used for honey production in Western Australia, combined with environmental variables for predicting the geographic distribution of species, using MaxEnt software. The output distribution grids were then stacked based on monthly flowering times of each species to develop grids representing the richness of flowering species by grid cell. While designed for modelling flowering forage availability for a migratory beekeeping system, the approach can be used for predicting temporal forage availability for a range of different fauna that rely on melliferous flora.•How to use temporally stacked species distribution modelling for generic distribution of flowering availability using presence-only data.•A procedure for developing flowering richness and availability grids.

Current Knowledge of the Melliferous Florae in Mexico Using Methodologies to Understand Bee–Plant–Human Interactions

Knowledge of melliferous flora has applications in areas of commercial and scientific interest because pollinators, such as different bee taxa, provide ecosystem services that include the pollination of both agroecosystems and wild ecosystems. In this manuscript, we reviewed research carried out in Mexico on the identification of melliferous flora, emphasizing the methods used and highlighting their implications for bee–plant–human interactions as well as the advantages and disadvantages of the different methods used in the determination of this type of vegetation. Methods such as observations of the foraging process, palynological analysis, and taxonomic determination via genetic sequencing were analyzed. We observed advantages in each method, but better integration between methods would facilitate concrete advances in understanding this type of flora. Ultimately, the determination of melliferous flora is a practical tool that provides useful knowledge in diverse economic and scientific sectors.

Influence of climatic factors and floristic diversity on the foraging activity of Apis mellifera adansonii Latreille in a West African Savannah

AbstractThe foraging activities of pollinators depend on a variety of factors, such as the availability of pollen and nectar resources or the seasonality. We performed measurements on the activity patterns of Apis mellifera adansonii Latreille by focusing on different factors: (i) we counted the number of bees entering the hives during 10 min per hour starting from 05:00 AM to 06:00 PM, once a month and along the year, (ii) we measured the hive weights at different intervals during the study and (iii) we characterised the diversity of melliferous plants within a 1 km radius around the hives. Our results show that melliferous flora is composed of 83 species. During the dry season, the honey bees foraged on flowering trees and shrubs, whereas in the rainy season herbaceous plants provided forage for honey bees. The results revealed a significant correlation between foraging activity and the mean hive weights (r = 0.9) while relative humidity was negatively correlated but not significantly with, respectively, mean hive weights (r = −0.5) and foraging activity (r = −0.6). Thus, the combination of biotic and abiotic factors resulted in two distinct periods, namely a phase of honey flow followed by a phase of honey scarcity.

Pollen Types Reveal Floral Diversity in Natural Honeys from Campeche, Mexico

The Yucatan Peninsula, located in southern Mexico, is a central honey-producing region with extraordinary biodiversity of melliferous plants. Approximately 900 plant species have been described as being a source of nectar and pollen for bees and other pollinators. They provide ecosystem services that help to keep plant biodiversity high and mitigate the effects of climate change. This study aimed to reveal the diversity of the pollen content in honey through a melissopalynological analysis of 22 honey samples collected in February–August 2021 from the north-central area of Campeche, Mexico. The extraction of pollen from the honey was carried out using standard methods for melissopalynological analysis. The honeys were classified by botanical origin to determine their floral sources and a diverse spectrum of 19 pollen types from 13 families was identified. Only eight were predominant: Milleria quinqueflora, Gymnopodium floribundum, Terminalia buceras, Amaranthus spinosus, Zea mays, Talisia floresii, Guazuma ulmifolia, and Croton icche. Our research shows the high quality of the honey analyzed and highlights the diversity and critical role of local melliferous flora and crops in beekeeping development in southern Mexico. The results in this study are useful for confirming the botanical origins of honey, generating information for designing nature conservation and agroecosystem management strategies, and increasing the knowledge of beekeepers in Campeche, Mexico.

Biodiversity of melliferous plants of the Surkhandarya region and assessment of their use

A detailed study of the species composition, nectar productivity and honey productivity of the wild-growing melliferous flora of the Surkhandarya region of Uzbekistan has been carried out. It was found that the majority of melliferous species grow in the adyr zone - 231 species and in mountainous areas - 280 species. The melliferous plants of the studied region are secondary melliferous plants, thus providing additional takings and contributing to the development of bee colonies. New melliferous plant species with a high sugar content in nectar (from 1.4 to 243 mg in 100 flowers) have been identified. Species of the genus Onosma were found to be highly nectariferous. The average amount of nectar secreted by 100 flowers of plants of this genus ranges from 100 to 243 mg.

Palynological Diversity of Melliferous flora around Apiaries from District Mardan Khyber Pakhtunkhwa-Pakistan

Palynological Diversity of Melliferous flora around Apiaries from District Mardan Khyber Pakhtunkhwa-Pakistan

PALYNOMORPHOLOGICAL STUDY OF WEEDY MELLIFEROUS (BEE VISITED) PLANTS USING LIGHT MICROSCOPIC TECHNIQUES FROM SOUTHERN KHYBER PAKHTUNKHWA, PAKISTAN

Pollen morphology of 10 different weedy bee foraged plants belong to 10 various families from Southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa were collected, identified and studied using light microscopy (LM). The plants were Asphodelus tenuifolius, Euphorbia helioscopia, Parthenium hysterophorus, Rhazya stricta, Datura innoxia, Eruca sativa, Convolvulus arvensis, Anagallis arvensis, Galium aparine, and Anethum graveolens. Slides for Light microscopic studies were prepared with the help of acetic acid, glycerin jelly and anthers of flowers. Pollen grain recorded ranged from monocolpate to hexacolporate and from psilate to echinate which were important systematic significance. Pollen size, shape, P/E ratio, exine thickness, number of colpi, number of pores, equatorial diameter, polar diameter, colpus width, colpus length, spines number, length and width of spines were examined with the help of light microscopy and all these values were analyzed statistically using software SPSS. This research provide a data to the optimal utilization of bee foraged weed plants by honeybees and identification of bee flora for the beekeeping business and honey production. Results revealed that weedy melliferous flora of study area is very helpful for botanical origin, geographical origin of bee species and adulterations found in honey.

The melliferous flora of Veracruz, Mexico

Objective: To contribute to the knowledge of the situation of the melliferous flora in Veracruz for pollinators and to communicate it for the benefit of beekeepers and stingless beekeepers, as well as to develop comprehensive strategies with these activities. Design/Methodology/Approach: The information was obtained through a bibliographic review in reference databases such as Scopus, Web of Science Group, Academic Google, Elsevier and Springer Link, using the following keywords: flora, bees, pollinators, honey, pollen. Results: 63 families were recorded, with 176 genera and 216 species of melliferous flora, finding that the largest number of species are found in the Fabaceae family (20%) and Asteraceae (16.55%). There were also 44 crops with 22 families. Study Limitations/Implications: There were no limitations in conducting this study. Findings/Conclusions: The greatest diversity of melliferous flora species is seen in wild plants, and strategies need to be implemented for their protection and multiplication. For these actions, various actors must be involved at different levels of government, educational and private institutions, civil society, farmers, beekeepers, and stingless beekeeping. Conservation actions include the use of melliferous plants in gardens and their protection in crops, sites surrounding crops and on edges. It is necessary to preserve natural landscapes and restore damaged ones, as well as to lead favorable practices in pollinator-dependent crops.

Characterization of pollen profile of Apis mellifera L. in arid region of Pakistan

Honeybees rely exclusively on pollen and nectar-producing plants for strengthening their colonies and manufacturing honey. Little is known about the indigenous melliferous flora of arid zones of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) which is crucial for honey production and how different pollen assessment techniques effect the identification of indigenous melliferous pollen flora. Visual survey and loads ensnaring through pollen traps were used to identify the botanical profile of melliferous pollen flora of Dera Ismail Khan (DIKhan), Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The test time extended for two consecutive years 2018 and 2019. The study revealed 56 plant species as pollen flora with 18 significant pollen producing species in visual survey technique while 8 species as predominant flora in pollen trapping technique. The major pollen species found common in both the techniques were Brassica napus L., Brassica campestris L., Trifolium alaxandrinum L., Zea mays L., Acacia modesta L., Citrus aurantium L., Euclyptus spp., and Morus alba L. Pollen interception and palynological analysis of pollen were found to be more reliable techniques as compared to focal observations. More than fifty % differences were found by comparing the results of the visual survey and pollen trapping technique in major flora of DIKhan. Based on the availability, utility status and flowering duration of apiphilic flora, mid-February to mid-May was found to be a significant pollen flow period in the study area. Maximum benefit can be taken in this period through trapping ample amount of pollen and stored for using in artificial diets, selling and feeding bees during dearth period.

POLLEN SPECTRUM, MELLIFEROUS PLANT INVENTORY AND, PHYSICOCHEMICAL PROPRIETIES OF SELECTED HONEYS FROM THE NORTH-EAST ALGERIAN

Ponte Academic JournalJul 2021, Volume 77, Issue 7 POLLEN SPECTRUM, MELLIFEROUS PLANT INVENTORY AND, PHYSICOCHEMICAL PROPRIETIES OF SELECTED HONEYS FROM THE NORTH-EAST ALGERIANAuthor(s): Mahbouba Manamani ,Larbi Boughediri, Abderrezak BouzebdaJ. Ponte - Jul 2021 - Volume 77 - Issue 7 doi: 10.21506/j.ponte.2021.7.3 Abstract:This work aims to study the pollen grains spectrum (quantitative and qualitative analysis) and the physicochemical parameters of 14 selected honeys collected from the north-eastern of Algeria and, one foreign sample from Tunisia. Also, an inventory of major important melliferous plants of Souk-Ahras Province was carried out to survey and to valorise the melliferous flora. The results showed that the pollen richness varies between 0 and 499600 pollen grains per 1g of honey, belonging to 36 botanical families with 65 genera and 45 species were identified in the studied honey samples. According to Maurizio’s classes (1939), 33% of samples belong to Class V, 7% to Class IV and Class III, Class II with 13%, and 40% in Class I. For the realized inventory, a total of 108 melliferous plant species distributed in 40 families were recorded. Asteraceae, Rosaceae and, Fabaceae were the most represented families. The most used flowers were white, yellow, and, purple. Pollen and nectar together were the most food collected by the bees (64%). For the physicochemical proprieties, the quality of the studied honeys was included in international standards except for the HMF content in samples M8 and M11. Download full text:Check if you have access through your login credentials or your institution Username Password

Differential Foraging of Indigenous and Exotic Honeybee (Apis mellifera L.) Races on Nectar-Rich Flow in a Subtropical Ecosystem.

In the subtropics, agricultural activities such as beekeeping are greatly influenced by environmental challenges. In the desert of Central Arabia, honeybees forage on limited prairies that are affected by adverse weather conditions. Bee colonies reduce their field activities during extremely hot-dry-windy weather. This study investigated whether nectar-rich melliferous flora enhance the field activities of two honeybee subspecies, Apis mellifera jemenitica (indigenous) and A. m. carnica (exotic), despite the presence of severe weather conditions. The foraging and pollen-gathering activities of the two subspecies were evaluated on Acacia trees (Acacia gerrardii Benth.), a common subtropical, summery endemic bee plant, in the central desert of the Arabian Peninsula. The native colonies were significantly (p < 0.001) more active foragers than the exotic colonies (109 ± 4 and 49 ± 2 workers/colony/3 min, respectively). Similarly, the native colonies recruited significantly (p ˂ 0.01) more active pollen-gathering bees than the imported colonies (22 ± 1 and 7 ± 1 workers/colony/3 min, respectively). Furthermore, far more food was collected by the indigenous colonies than by the exotic colonies, and a higher portion of all field trips was allocated to pollen gathering by the indigenous bees than by the imported bees. The nectar-rich Acacia trees reduced the negative effects of hot-dry-windy weather. More research on honeybee colonies operating in the subtropical conditions of Central Arabia is needed, especially regarding heat tolerance mechanisms and effects on queen and drone fertility.

Contribution to the knowledge of melliferous plants: Ethno apicultural survey with beekeepers in the District of Ziguinchor, Kolda and Sedhiou (Senegal)

An ethno-apicultural survey was carried out for the plant species pollinated by honey bees in the green district of Casamance (South Senegal). This survey followed a well-established questionnaire concerning beekeepers in these areas. The listed melliferous flora was made of 61 species either. It’s divided into 58 genera and 30 families though the most represented are in decreasing order Fabaceae with 12 species (19.67%) followed by Rutaceae and Malvaceae with 4 species (6.55% each), Arecaceae, Anacardiaceae, Combretaceae, Gramineae, Myrtaceae, with 3 species (4.91% each), then Chrysobalanaceae, Lamiaceae, Meliaceae and Rubiaceae with 2 species (3.27% each) and then Acanthaceae, Asteraceae, Canabaceae, Verbenaceae, Apocynaceae, Bignoniaceae, Annonaceae, Hymenocardiaceae, Icacinaceae, Lauraceae, Moringaceae, Musaceae, Celastraceae, Rhizophoraceae, Sapindaceae, Sterculiceae, Moraceae, Ochnaceae, with 1 species (1.63% each). Melliferous plants include 47.54% nectariferous plants followed by nectariferous polliniferous plants with 37.70% and finally polliniferous species with 14.75%. This study enabled us to identify eight (08) species with high melliferous value. To enhance the value of these plants, further studies on foraging activity and nectar production will be led to prove their real melliferous potential.

ДИНАМИКА БИОРАЗНООБРАЗИЯ МЕДОНОСНЫХ РЕСУРСОВ В СТРУКТУРЕ БЕРЕЗНЯКОВ

The Northwest region of Russia has a rich forage base for bees. Due to unstable weather conditions, the use of natural honey resources is complicated. The aim of the research was to determine the dynamics of biodiversity of nectar-bearing resources in the structure of birch forests. Registration sites in the birch forests of blueberry, myrtillus and myrtillus grass and under the canopy of the forest stand and at the forest edges of the Kirov Educational Experimental and Kirish Forestries of the Leningrad Region have been laid for accounting. Circular reference plots with an area of 10 m2 and a radius of 178.5 cm were used when accounting for the vegetation of the lower tier. When calculating species diversity indices, species richness indices used in biocenological studies were used. The research results have showed that the factors affecting the species composition of honey plants are the light regime under the stand canopy and biological characteristics of honey plants. The composition and number of species depends on the type of forest. According to Simpson and Margalef, grass birch is distinguished by the species diversity and richness of species. Sorrel birch forest is distinguished by the best forest ecosystem with honey species. When comparing the Sørensen coefficient for sorrel birch and grass birch, it does not exceed 0.5, which indicates the similarity of species in the experimental plots. 200 the Jacquard similarity index indicates that 25-50 % of species in the forest phytocenoses of birch forests are the same. The magnitude of the variegation of living ground cover is high in the forest edge and low in myrtillus birch wood. Thus, the species composition of the melliferous flora of the studied forest types is variable in its structure and composition