1- University of Zabol
2- Bojnourd University
3- Agricultural & Natural Resources Research of Qom
2- Bojnourd University
3- Agricultural & Natural Resources Research of Qom
Abstract: (24 Views)
Extended abstract
Introduction and Objective: Honeybees are the most important insect with ecological value in terms of pollination and economic value in terms of honey, royal jelly, pollen, and propolis production. All these values will be achieved with the optimal growth of colonies. Due to unfavorable environmental and climatic conditions, sometimes the needs of bees for growth and reproduction may not be met, and the use of nutritional supplements plays an important role in this. It has attracted the attention of researchers in recent years to produce various dietary supplements with multiple compounds to meet the immediate needs of bees for growth. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of using the nutritional a nano- supplement AVP4, which contains a combination of vitamins, minerals, and amino acids, on the production and behavioral performance of honeybees.
Materials and Methods: In this experiment, 20 colonies (half-sib queens) with the same-aged and homogenized queens were used to carry out the work. The hives used were Langstroth-type, and the colonies were homogenized in terms of population size, including newborns, adults, and food reserves (pollen and honey) over two weeks. After homogenization, feeding of the colonies started from the first of July and continued until the end of August 2024. The operation of recording colonies was carried out during three periods and at 20-day intervals. The experiment was carried out in the form of a completely randomized design with four treatments and five replications. The diets used in the experiment included four treatments: 1. Sugar syrup treatment without the use of nano-supplement (control), 2. AVP4 nano-supplement treatment at 2.5% per liter of syrup, 3. AVP4 nano-supplement treatment at 5% per liter of syrup, and 4. AVP4 nano-supplement treatment at 7.5% per liter of syrup. The amount of pupae and pollen and honey reserves was measured using a 5×5 cm frame template. The amount of wax production was obtained by placing a wax sheet in the colony and calculating the wax area, and behavioral performance was classified using a scoring method in the range of 1 to 4 from calm to aggressive. For data analysis, a time-repeated design with the Mixed procedure of SAS software version 9.4 was used, and the comparison of treatment means was performed using a protected t-test at a probability level of 5%.
Results: The egg laying rate of queens fed with AVP4 (7.5%) was higher than in other treatments, and egg laying in the first period was higher than in the second and third periods (P<0.05). Following the increase in egg production in the first period, the number of larvae in the tested colonies in the first and second periods was higher than in the third period (P<0.05). Also, in the first period, the number of larvae in the colony fed with AVP4 (5%) was higher than in the other treatments (P<0.05). In comparing the averages of the experimental treatments, it was observed that the number of pupae in the tested colonies in the AVP4 treatment (5%) was significantly higher than in the AVP4 treatment (2.5%) (P<0.05). In comparing the averages of the experimental periods, it was observed that the number of pupae in the tested colonies had a significant difference. The highest number of pupae was related to the first period and the lowest to the third period. The amount of honey storage in the tested colonies differed significantly from each other in all experimental periods, the highest amount of honey storage was in the third period, then the second period, and finally the first period (P<0.05). The amount of pollen storage in the tested colonies in the AVP4 treatment (7.5%) was the lowest amount of pollen storage and was significantly different from the other treatments (P<0.05), but the other treatments did not differ significantly from each other. The average amount of pollen storage also showed a significant difference in the average of the experimental periods. The highest and lowest pollen storage belonged to the third and first periods, respectively. The wax-making characteristics of the colonies fed with different levels of the supplement did not differ significantly (P<0.05). Finally, the effect of AVP4 nano-supplement on the defensive behavior of bees fed with different levels of AVP4 supplement was statistically insignificant (P<0.05).
Conclusion: The results of the present study showed that adding AVP4 supplement to bee food had stimulating effects on reproductive traits (egg laying, larvae and pupae), and performance of bees and resulting in improvement in production and performance. It seems that adding the supplement is useful in cases of food poverty and adverse environmental conditions. Therefore, it is suggested that the effect of this supplement be carried out in other seasons of the year when access to nectar and pollen sources in nature is limited.
Introduction and Objective: Honeybees are the most important insect with ecological value in terms of pollination and economic value in terms of honey, royal jelly, pollen, and propolis production. All these values will be achieved with the optimal growth of colonies. Due to unfavorable environmental and climatic conditions, sometimes the needs of bees for growth and reproduction may not be met, and the use of nutritional supplements plays an important role in this. It has attracted the attention of researchers in recent years to produce various dietary supplements with multiple compounds to meet the immediate needs of bees for growth. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of using the nutritional a nano- supplement AVP4, which contains a combination of vitamins, minerals, and amino acids, on the production and behavioral performance of honeybees.
Materials and Methods: In this experiment, 20 colonies (half-sib queens) with the same-aged and homogenized queens were used to carry out the work. The hives used were Langstroth-type, and the colonies were homogenized in terms of population size, including newborns, adults, and food reserves (pollen and honey) over two weeks. After homogenization, feeding of the colonies started from the first of July and continued until the end of August 2024. The operation of recording colonies was carried out during three periods and at 20-day intervals. The experiment was carried out in the form of a completely randomized design with four treatments and five replications. The diets used in the experiment included four treatments: 1. Sugar syrup treatment without the use of nano-supplement (control), 2. AVP4 nano-supplement treatment at 2.5% per liter of syrup, 3. AVP4 nano-supplement treatment at 5% per liter of syrup, and 4. AVP4 nano-supplement treatment at 7.5% per liter of syrup. The amount of pupae and pollen and honey reserves was measured using a 5×5 cm frame template. The amount of wax production was obtained by placing a wax sheet in the colony and calculating the wax area, and behavioral performance was classified using a scoring method in the range of 1 to 4 from calm to aggressive. For data analysis, a time-repeated design with the Mixed procedure of SAS software version 9.4 was used, and the comparison of treatment means was performed using a protected t-test at a probability level of 5%.
Results: The egg laying rate of queens fed with AVP4 (7.5%) was higher than in other treatments, and egg laying in the first period was higher than in the second and third periods (P<0.05). Following the increase in egg production in the first period, the number of larvae in the tested colonies in the first and second periods was higher than in the third period (P<0.05). Also, in the first period, the number of larvae in the colony fed with AVP4 (5%) was higher than in the other treatments (P<0.05). In comparing the averages of the experimental treatments, it was observed that the number of pupae in the tested colonies in the AVP4 treatment (5%) was significantly higher than in the AVP4 treatment (2.5%) (P<0.05). In comparing the averages of the experimental periods, it was observed that the number of pupae in the tested colonies had a significant difference. The highest number of pupae was related to the first period and the lowest to the third period. The amount of honey storage in the tested colonies differed significantly from each other in all experimental periods, the highest amount of honey storage was in the third period, then the second period, and finally the first period (P<0.05). The amount of pollen storage in the tested colonies in the AVP4 treatment (7.5%) was the lowest amount of pollen storage and was significantly different from the other treatments (P<0.05), but the other treatments did not differ significantly from each other. The average amount of pollen storage also showed a significant difference in the average of the experimental periods. The highest and lowest pollen storage belonged to the third and first periods, respectively. The wax-making characteristics of the colonies fed with different levels of the supplement did not differ significantly (P<0.05). Finally, the effect of AVP4 nano-supplement on the defensive behavior of bees fed with different levels of AVP4 supplement was statistically insignificant (P<0.05).
Conclusion: The results of the present study showed that adding AVP4 supplement to bee food had stimulating effects on reproductive traits (egg laying, larvae and pupae), and performance of bees and resulting in improvement in production and performance. It seems that adding the supplement is useful in cases of food poverty and adverse environmental conditions. Therefore, it is suggested that the effect of this supplement be carried out in other seasons of the year when access to nectar and pollen sources in nature is limited.
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