Supplementary data for article: Mosić, M.; Trifković, J.; Vovk, I.; Gašić, U.; Tešić, Ž.; Šikoparija, B.; Milojković-Opsenica, D. Phenolic Composition Influences the Health-Promoting Potential of Bee-Pollen. Biomolecules 2019, 9 (12). https://doi.org/10.3390/biom9120783

Supplementary material for: [https://doi.org/10.3390/biom9120783]Related to published version: [http://cherry.chem.bg.ac.rs/handle/123456789/3774

Supplementary data for article: Mosić, M.; Trifković, J.; Vovk, I.; Gašić, U.; Tešić, Ž.; Šikoparija, B.; Milojković-Opsenica, D. Phenolic Composition Influences the Health-Promoting Potential of Bee-Pollen. Biomolecules 2019, 9 (12). https://doi.org/10.3390/biom9120783

Supplementary material for: [https://doi.org/10.3390/biom9120783]Related to published version: [http://cherry.chem.bg.ac.rs/handle/123456789/3774

DNA barcoding applied: identifying the larva of Merodon avidus (Diptera: Syrphidae)

The immature stages of phytophagous hoverflies and their plant hosts are mostly unknown. This paper describes the larva of Merodon avidus Rossi, 1790 (Diptera: Syrphidae), based on material collected from Đerdap National Park in Serbia. Larvae were found in the bulbs of Ornithogalum L. (Hyacinthaceae) and in the surrounding soil. DNA barcoding was used to identify the species and scanning electron microscopy was used to describe the morphological characteristics of Merodon avidus. Reared material previously identified as Merodon constans (Rossi, 1794) is shown to belong to M. hurkmansi Marcos-García, Vujić & Mengual, 2007.This study was supported by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development, Republic of Serbia, Grant No. 173002 and Grant No. 43002, the Provincial Secretariat for Science and Technological Development, Grant No. 114-457-2173/2011-01 and by the project Status and Trends of European Pollinators, FP7-ENV-2009-1-244090 (STEP)

Phenolic Composition Influences the Health-Promoting Potential of Bee-Pollen

Supplementary material: [http://cherry.chem.bg.ac.rs/handle/123456789/3775

Polyphenol profile of buckwheat honey, nectar and pollen

A focus of research in recent years is the comparison of honey as the final product of bees with pollen and nectar of the plant from which the honey originates, as the main food source for bees. Buckwheat honey is recognized as a nutritionally valuable product, which provides a scientifically proven health benefit and is confirmed as a functional food. The quality of this type of honey is attributed to high levels of phytochemicals in buckwheat. The purpose of this study was the examination of similarity between buckwheat honey and buckwheat nectar and pollen, as well as simultaneous investigation of their chemical profiles and the origin of the honey. The phenolic profile of buckwheat pollen showed a lower number of flavonoids and phenolic acids than those of nectar and honey samples, but confirmed the presence of the most characteristic polyphenols derived from the buckwheat plant. The notable difference was found to be the presence of (epi)catechin units, its galloylated derivatives and procyanidin dimers, which were not present in honey. Honey polyphenols displayed a pronounced correlation with those of nectar, but not with those of pollen. Finally, by comparing the polyphenolic profiles of honey, nectar and pollen sharing the same geographical origin, new data could be provided for a potential assessment of the botanical origin of buckwheat honey

Characterization of preimaginal developmental stages of two cryptic South African species of the Merodon planifacies complex (Diptera: Syrphidae: Eristalinae: Merodontini), with differentiation through morphometry analysis

Merodon capi Vujić et Radenković, 2020 and Merodon roni Radenković et Vujić, 2020 are two cryptic species belonging to the Merodon planifacies Bezzi, 1915 species complex that have recently been described, with the differences between them being revealed by molecular and geometric morphometry studies of adult specimens. In the present study, the preimaginal morphology of both species is described and displayed, with the material used corresponding to samples taken from bulbs of Merwilla plumbea (Lindl.) Speta plants at two locations in KwaZulu-Natal province (South Africa). The preimaginal stages were compared, looking for morphological evidence supporting species divergence. Linear and geometric morphometric analyses of the larval posterior respiratory process were conducted for the first time and the results of these analyses support the separation of the two taxa. Information about the life cycle and the relation with the host plant is also provided. In addition, we carried out a preliminary study of the adult feeding requirements of the species, based on the description of the mouthparts and an analysis of the pollen present in the gut and on the integument of adults. The results of the study supports a close relationship between the preimaginal stages and plant species of the Hyacinthaceae family.The study was mainly funded by the European Union project: Horizon 2020, Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions, Research and Innovation Staff Exchange (RISE) Programme: FlyHigh – “Insect–plant relationships: insights into biodiversity and new applications” (project 645636). The study was partly supported by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development, Republic of Serbia, Grant No. 451-03-68/2022–14/200125 and Grant No. 451-03-68/2022–14/200358. It was also supported by the research department of the University of Alicante in the framework of a predoctoral grant (UAFPU2019-03). This manuscript was written as a part of a PhD project conducted by Andrea Aracil at the University of Alicante (Spain)

Using Front-Face Fluorescence Spectroscopy and Biochemical Analysis of Honey to Assess a Marker for the Level of Varroa destructor Infestation of Honey Bee (Apis mellifera) Colonies

Varroa destructor is a parasitic mite responsible for the loss of honey bee (Apis mellifera) colonies. This study aimed to find a promising marker in honey for the bee colony infestation level using fluorescence spectroscopy and biochemical analyses. We examined whether the parameters of the honey samples’ fluorescence spectra and biochemical parameters, both related to proteins and phenolics, may be connected with the level of honey bee colonies’ infestation. The infestation level was highly positively correlated with the catalase activity in honey (r = 0.936). Additionally, the infestation level was positively correlated with the phenolic spectral component (r = 0.656), which was tentatively related to the phenolics in honey. No correlation was found between the diastase activity in honey and the colonies’ infestation level. The results indicate that the catalase activity in honey and the PFC1 spectral component may be reliable markers for the V. destructor infestation level of the colonies. The obtained data may be related to the honey yield obtained from the apiaries. © 2023 by the authors

Supplementary data for article: Kostić, A. T.; Barać, M. B.; Stanojević, S. P.; Milojković-Opsenica, D. M.; Tešić, T. L.; Šikoparija, B.; Radišić, P.; Prentović, M.; Pešić, M. B. Physicochemical Composition and Techno-Functional Properties of Bee Pollen Collected in Serbia. LWT - Food Science and Technology 2015, 62 (1), 301–309. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lwt.2015.01.031

Supplementary material for: [https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lwt.2015.01.031]Related to published version: [http://cherry.chem.bg.ac.rs/handle/123456789/1680

Unusually high birch (Betula spp.) pollen concentrations in Poland in 2016 related to long-range transport (LRT) and the regional pollen occurrence

In 2016, the highest birch (Betula spp.) pollen concentrations were recorded in Krakow (Poland) since the beginning of pollen observations in 1991. The aim of this study was to ascertain the reason for this phenomenon, taking the local sources of pollen in Poland and long-range transport (LRT) episodes associated with the pollen influx from other European countries into account. Three periods of higher pollen concentrations in Krakow in 2016 were investigated with the use of pollen data, phenological data, meteorological data and the HYSPLIT numerical model to calculate trajectories up to 4 days back (96 h) at the selected Polish sites. From 5 to 8 April, the birch pollen concentrations increased in Krakow up to 4000 Pollen/m(3), although no full flowering of birch trees in the city was observed. The synoptic situation with air masses advection from the South as well as backward trajectories and the general birch pollen occurrence in Europe confirm that pollen was transported mainly from Serbia, Hungary, Austria, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, into Poland. The second analyzed period (13-14 April) was related largely to the local flowering of birches, while the third one in May (6-7 May) mostly resulted from the birch pollen transport from Fennoscandia and the Baltic countries. Unusual high pollen concentrations at the beginning of the pollen season can augment the symptomatic burden of birch pollen allergy sufferers and should be considered during therapy. Such incidents also affect the estimation of pollen seasons timing and severity.</p

Pollen Viability of Fraxinus excelsior in Storage Experiments and Investigations on the Potential Effect of Long-Range Transport

Fragmented ash populations due to ash dieback may lead to a limited gene flow and pollination success. Therefore, the viability of ash pollen plays a major role for the survival of the species. The extent to which the long-distance transport of pollen affects pollen viability was investigated with experiments in a climate chamber using ash pollen samples from a seed orchard in Emmendingen, Germany. Furthermore, experiments with a volumetric pollen trap were conducted. A suitable storage temperature for ash pollen was determined by using four viability tests; TTC test, pollen germination, Alexander’s stain and Acetocarmine. An optimization of the germination medium was performed. We found a strong influence of prevailing temperatures on pollen viability, which decreased faster under warmer conditions. At moderate temperatures, viable pollen could still be observed after 28 days. Thus, a possible successful pollination can also be associated to long-range transported pollen. Storage experiments showed that pollen viability could be maintained longer at temperatures of −20 °C and −80 °C than at 4 °C. In particular, the TTC test has proven to be suitable for determining viability. Therefore, properly stored pollen can be used for breeding programs to support the survival of Fraxinus excelsior