Fatty Acid and Proximate Composition of Bee Bread

Palynological spectrum, proximate and fatty acid (FA) composition of eight bee bread samples of different botanical origins were examined and significant variations were observed. The samples were all identified as monofloral, namely Castanea sativa (94.4 %), Trifolium spp. (85.6 %), Gossypium hirsutum (66.2 %), Citrus spp. (61.4 %) and Helianthus annuus (45.4 %). Each had moisture content between 11.4 and 15.9 %, ash between 1.9 and 2.54 %, fat between 5.9 and 11.5 %, and protein between 14.8 and 24.3 %. A total of 37 FAs were determined with most abundant being (9Z,12Z,15Z)-octadeca-9,12,15-trienoic, (9Z,12Z)-octadeca-9,12-dienoic, hexadecanoic, (Z)-octadec-9-enoic, (Z)-icos-11-enoic and octadecanoic acids. Among all, cotton bee bread contained the highest level of omega-3 FAs, i.e. 41.3 %. Unsaturated to saturated FA ratio ranged between 1.38 and 2.39, indicating that the bee bread can be a good source of unsaturated FAs

The Relationships Between Propolis Collecting Capability and Morphometric Features of Some Honey Bee Races and Ecotypes in Anatolia

Propolis collecting capacity of the honey bee race, Apismellifera L., distributed across Anatolia and Thrace regionsof Turkey was investigated and correlated withmorphometric characteristics. Thus, the propolis collectingbehaviour of honey bee races and ecotypes naturally havebeen in Turkey, Apis mellifera caucasica, Apis melliferacarnica, Apis mellifera syriaca and Yığılca and Muğlaecotype of Apis mellifera anatoliaca were monitored. Themean yield of annual propolis was recorded as the following;Yığılca ecotype (111.6±27.5 g colony) A. m. caucasica(104±20.7 g colony), Muğla ecotype (103±34 g colony), A.m. carnica (91.16±17.6 g colony), and A. m. syriaca (74±6.4g colony) in descending order. The highest propoliscollecting activity was recorded for the Yığılca ecotype of A.m. anatoliaca and A. m. caucasica. Morphological featuresof honey bee samples were evaluated by classicmorphometric technique to correlate propolis collectingcapability and morphological features. Morphometric resultsof the present study showed that the largest wing and leglengths belonged to Yığılca ecotype of A. m. anatoliaca andA. m. caucasica. Furthermore, Pearson correlation showed asignificant relationship between some morphometriccharacteristics including the proboscis and mandibularsections, wing length (WL), wing width (WW), femur length(FL), tibia length (TL), basitarsus length (BL), basitarsuswidth (BW), and propolis collecting capability (P<0.05).Therefore, it seems that the enlargement of certainmorphological properties with genetic tendency of the honeybee races and ecotypes, primarily the legs and wings, can leadto better propolis collecting capability.WOS:0005391657000092-s2.0-8508097511

Studies on the possibility of pheromone traps in observing of Heliothis armigera HBN. (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) population in cotton fields

Yeşilkurt, Heliothis armigera Hbn. (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), pamuk alanlarının önemli zararlılardan biridir. Zararlının popülasyon değişimini izlemede eşeysel çekici feromon tuzakların kullanım imkanlarını ve tuzaklarda yakalanan H. armigera ergin sayısı ile tarladaki larva yoğunluğu arasında ilişki olup olmadığını saptamak amacıyla çalışmalar 1997 ve 1998 yıllarında Hatay ilinde yürütülmüştür. Hatay ilinde iki pamuk tarlası belirlenmiş ve her tarlaya ikişer adet Funnel, Delta ve Kanat tipi eşeysel çekici feromon tuzak yerleştirilmiştir. Tuzaklarda yakalanan kelebek sayıları haftalık sayımlarla belirlenmiştir. Tuzakların yerleştirildiği pamuk tarlalarının üç ayrı yerinde 3’er m sıra uzunluğundaki yeşilkurt larvaları da sayılmıştır. Çalışmalardan elde edilen verilere göre, en fazla kelebek yakalaması Funnel tipi tuzakta gerçekleşmiş ve Funnel tipi tuzakların H. armigera’nın ergin populasyon takibinde kullanılabileceği ortaya konmuştur. Tuzaklarda yakalanan ergin sayısı ile tarladaki larva yoğunluğu arasındaki ilişki genelde zayıf bulunmuştur.Heliothis armigera Hbn. (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) is one of the most important pests in cotton fields. This study was carried out in the years of 1997 and 1998 in Hatay Province in order to find out the possibility of pheromone traps in observing the population range of H. armigera and to determine the relationship between trapped adult H. armigera and their larvae intensity in the cotton fields. Experiments were conducted in two locations with 2 cotton fields. &amp;#8220;Funnel&amp;#8221;, &amp;#8220;Delta&amp;#8221; and &amp;#8220;Wing&amp;#8221; type pheromone traps were used in the experiments. Two of each pheromone traps were placed in the cotton fields. Trapped adults were counted at weekly intervals. The larvae in the fields were counted on three rows (each 3 m. long) randomly selected on three different plots of every cotton field. The Funnel type pheromone traps resulted in the highest number of trapped adults. Also, it appeared that Funnel traps could be used successfully in observing H.armigera population. There was a weak relationship between trapped adults and larvae intensity in the cotton fields

AMINO ACID AND VITAMIN CONTENT OF PROPOLIS COLLECTED BY NATIVE CAUCASICAN HONEYBEES

The polyphenol content of propolis has received a lot of attention due to the benign biological properties noted in the chemical composition studies. However, there are very limited studies about other chemical components found in trace amounts in nature which contribute to the therapeutic properties of propolis. The present study, therefore, investigated the amino acid and vitamin composition of propolis. Propolis harvested by 60 colonies of Apis mellifera caucasica belonged to local non-migratory beekeepers. The A. m. caucasica is known for its distinctive propolis collecting capability which native to the secluded Ardahan Province of Turkey. Vitamin (Thiamine, Riboflavin) combinations of propolis were determined using the HPLC (High-Performance Liquid Chromatography) fluorescent detector. An amino acid analysis was also performed with the UFLC (Ultra-Fast Liquid Chromatography) system consisting of binary pump and UV/VIS. Our findings record that the vitamin and amino acid content of propolis samples collected from three areas of different altitudes in the same region differed from each other. Vitamin 61 content and Vitamin B2 content ranged between 0.025-0.16 mg/100g, and 0.304-0.777mg/100g, respectively. A maximum amount of amino acid was reported as leucine, while a minimum amount of amino acid was seen as tryptophan in Ardahan propolis. Consequently, the vitamin and amino acid content of propolis, which derived from secondary plant metabolites of resin, varied depending on their geographical altitudes. Those vitamin and amino acids found in the propolis composition are believed to have beneficial therapeutic properties