ABSTRACT
The aim of the present study is to investigate the pollen morphology of melliferous plant taxa of Southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa-Pakistan. Using light microscope (LM) and scanning electron microscope (SEM), the palynological study of 18 species of melliferous plants namely Calendula arvensis, Cenchrus pennisetiformis, Citrullus colocynthis, Cucumis melo subsp. agrestis var. agrestis, Cucurbita maxima, Cymbopogon jwarancusa, Cynodon dectylon, Dactyloctenium aegyptium, Helianthus annus, Lagenaria siceraria, Launaea procumbens, Luffa cylindrica, Pennisetum glaucum, Saccharum spontaneum, Sonchus asper, Verbesina encelioides, Xanthium strumarium, and Zea mays was carried out. Both qualitative and quantitative characteristics of pollen were studied. Variations were observed in pollen morphology. The dominant pollen shape was prolate-spheroidal (11 species). All the pollen units were monad. The highest exine thickness was found in Citrullus colocynthis (8.45 µm). The maximum polar and equatorial diameter (102 and 97.55 µm) was found in Luffa cylindrica. Similarly, the highest P/E ratio was found in Cucurbita maxima (1.46). Most of the species showed tricolpate and monoporate type of pollen. The exine sculpturing, number of spines per pollen and between colpi and the pollen fertility and sterility provided significant results for the documentation of melliferous plants. Thus, the information listed in this article will prove helpful to identify the potential melliferous plants in the area, geographical origin of the honey, and the availability of pure honey in the local and international market.
Subject(s)
Asteraceae , Pollen , Microscopy, Electron, Scanning , Pakistan , PoaceaeABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The knowledge of native melliferous flora (MF) may contribute to identify the diversity of species available for beekeeping activities during the dry and rainy seasons of the year in the Yucatan Peninsula (YP) region. The acute shortage of food resources considerably reduce local honey production and needs to be addressed appropriately. The objective of this study has been identifying the local MF, their nectar and pollen contribution, their flowering patterns, and the criteria of the vegetation to be established adjacent to local apiaries for stable production of quality honey. The study also investigates how this approach helps to complete the annual flowering cycle required to maintain the honeybee colonies, thereby preventing swarm escapes during periods of acute food stress in the community of Xmabén, Hopelchén, Campeche, Mexico. METHODOLOGY: We conducted a comprehensive survey based on interviews with 40 local beekeepers and a review of herbarium specimens (CICY) of the database of the global information network on the native MF biodiversity with high apiculture potential, the contribution of nectar and pollen they provide, and their flowering patterns. Furthermore, we documented interviews with the same beekeepers on the necessary conditions for establishing the ideal components of vegetation in areas adjacent to apiaries for high-quality honey production in the Xmabén community of Hopelchén, Campeche, Mexico. RESULTS: We have identified 56 native MF species with apiculture potential, that need to be planted around the apiaries for assisting honeybees in successfully running the beekeeping production cycle. Hence, the MF diversity of Xmabén community constitutes a valuable resource for successful beekeeping in the region and adjoining localities. We found that 22.5% of local beekeepers are dedicated exclusively to apilcilture, while 77.5% practice it as a secondary activity due to better sources of income in agriculture (60%), masonry (10%), and livestock management (7.5%). The data generated can help in further expansion of the local apiaries, beekeeping business, and in building future opportunities for the local apiculture industry. Indigenous knowledge of the beekeepers was comprehensive and corroborated the technical information on MF collected from the herbarium, further emphasizing the value of indigenous knowledge on traditional beekeeping practices. CONCLUSION: From the perspective of human ecology, our study reveals the need of collecting, analyzing, and interpreting indigenous knowledge to facilitate traditional beekeeping practices of the region without using expensive, modern technology to solve ecosystem-based problems through long-term, sustainable, traditional, and environment friendly approaches.
Subject(s)
Beekeeping , Biodiversity , Flowers/physiology , Magnoliopsida/classification , Adult , Animals , Bees , Humans , Knowledge , Male , Mexico , Middle Aged , Seasons , Young AdultABSTRACT
The present study was carried out to investigate the polliniferous bee flora of Lakki Marwat district, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan. A total of 18 species, belonging to 13 different families were identified for the foraging activities of honeybees, namely, Cenchrus biflorus, Cestrum nocturnum, Citrus limon, Combretum indicum, Datura innoxia, Duranta erecta, Hamelia patens, Helianthus annuus, Ipomoea cairica, Luffa aegyptiaca, Nerium oleander, Ocimum basilicum, Parthenium hysterophorus, Pennisetum typhoides, Prosopis cineraria, Prosopis juliflora, Saccharum spontaneum, and Ziziphus jujuba. The identified melliferous flora was collected for the morpho-palynological investigation. Pollen were acetolyzed, measured, and described qualitatively using light microscopy. The pollen types varied from psilate to echinate and colpi from tricolpate to hexacolpate. Quantitative characteristics including polar diameter, equatorial diameter, polar to equatorial ratio, colpi length, colpi width, spine length, spine width, and exine thickness of the pollen were determined and analyzed statistically using software IBM SPSS Statistics 20. The results of the present study highlighted the significance of pollen morphology of the bee flora of the area which may lead to the identification of the potential and useful botanical sources for beekeepers and to check the honey quality marketed from the study area.
Subject(s)
Bees/physiology , Microscopy/methods , Plants/anatomy & histology , Plants/classification , Pollen/cytology , Animals , Pakistan , PollinationABSTRACT
Conduziu-se este trabalho, com o objetivo de inventariar as plantas visitadas por abelhas em uma área de cerrado no município de Cassilândia/MS (19°06'48"S; 51°44'03"W), classificando-as para a elaboração de um catálogo de pasto apícola. Os dados foram obtidos quinzenalmente, de março/2003 a fevereiro/2004, em uma trilha com 3000 metros de extensão. A flora apícola foi representada por 49 espécies pertencentes a 41 gêneros e 26 famílias. A família Malpighiaceae apresentou maior número de espécies visitadas (12,2 por cento) e a família Sapindaceae o maior número de abelhas coletadas (18 por cento). Com relação ao nicho trófico ocupado pelas abelhas, apenas Apis mellifera e Trigona spinipes apresentaram atividade de forrageamento em um grande número de plantas, sendo 36,7 por cento do total de espécies identificadas visitados pelas duas espécies. Os diferentes períodos de florescimento das espécies vegetais existentes no cerrado garantem oferta de recurso alimentar durante todo o ano.
The aim of this study is listing the plants visited by bees in a savannah area of Cassilândia/MS, Brazil (19°06'48"S; 51°44'03"W) to develop bee plant catalogue. The data were obtained twice a month from March/2003 to February/2004, along a 3 km track. The flora was represented by 49 species, 41 genera and 26 families. The Malpighiaceae family presented the highest number of visited species (12,2 percent) and Sapindaceae family the highest number of bees collected (18 percent). Regarding to the trofic niche used by bees, only Apis mellifera and Trigona spinipes presented collection activity in a great number of plants so that, 36,7 percent of the total of identified plant species was visited by the two species. The different blossom periods of plant species in savannah guarantee the occurrence of feed source for bees during all year long.
