Improving honey production in worker bees (Apis mellifera adansoni L.) hymenoptera: apidae through artificial modification of their feeding activities.

Modification of feeding activity, nursing care and undertaker behaviour were carried out among some colonies of honey bees Apis mellifera adansoni L to know the effect on honey production. Apiaries Numbers 1, 2 and 3 contain three replicates of experimental hives while apiary Number 4 contains control hives. All the hives were baited with honey to attract bees. In Apiary No. 1 (Hives A1, A2 and A3) the bee colonies were fed with banana paste which contains amino acid dopamine. The foragers population count was 9324 ± 256 ( χ ± s.e.) and the honey producedweighed 16.24 ± 0.71 kg (χ ± s.e.).In Apiary No.2 (Hives B1, B2 and B3), some young nursing care worker bees were removed from the bee colonies, thus making the old foraging worker bees to perform nursing care duty. The foragers population count was 6714 ± 256 ( χ ± s.e.) while honey produced weighed 6.03 ± 0.71 kg ( χ ± s.e). Dead bodies of insects and dirt were introduced into the hives in Apiary No.3 (HivesC1, C2 and C3) to induce undertaker behaviour in the colony. Some of the old foraging worker bees assumed undertaker duty in these hives where the population count of the foraging workers was 5466 ±256 (χ ± s.e.) and the honey yield weighed 7.02 ± 0.71 kg ( χ ± s.e.). In the control Apiary (Hives D1, D2 and D3), where the bee colonies were baited with honey only, foraging worker bees population count was 8670 ± 256 (χ ± s.e.) and honey produced weighed 13.13 ± 0.71 kg ( χ ± s.e.). The differences between the mean foraging worker bees’ population and consequently honey yield in the different treatments were statistically significant with the apiary where banana paste was introduced containing the highest. When pollen and nectar is abundant, the number of foraging worker bees determines the honey yield. Feeding of the beecolonies with banana paste slightly increased the population growth of the foraging worker bees and the honey yield

Challenges associated with the honey bee (Apis Mellifera Adansonii) colonies establishment in South Western Nigeria

The southwestern part of Nigeria is a tropical rainforest region having many local beekeepers. These beekeepers have experienced decline in colony establishment in the recent past. A study carried out in Lagos, Ogun and Osun states between December 2009 and September 2011 examined 14 randomly selected commercial bee farms for problems associated with decline in colony establishment. Sampling and treatments were split equally between each apiary and three colonies were selected in each. All the colonies were housed in Tanzania/local top bar hives. There were 58.34, 44.84 and 40.61 average percentage declines in colony establishment in Lagos, Ogun and Osun States, respectively. Presence of pests and diseases, pesticide poisoning, poor hive and seasonal management, ecological problem and lack of queen rearing were potential problems identified by the beekeepers. All the apiaries had pests like Crickets, Ants (Companotus pennsylvanicus), Small Hive beetle (Aethina tumida), Termites (Macrotermes spp) and Spider (Lactrodectus mactan). Varroa mite infestations were found in 33 (78.57%) of apiaries sampled. There was no significant difference between the levels of Varroa infestation in all the colonies during the dry and wet seasons at confidence interval of 95 percent (t = 1.542, df = 13, p = 0.147 (p> 0.05). Nosema spores were found in 27 (64.29%) colonies examined. The number of spores range from 16 x 103 to 30.4 x 103. There were no significant differences in the infection from colony to colony, apiary to apiary and between dry and wet seasons (t = - 0.094 df = 11, P = 0.927 (P > 0.05). Diseases like American and European foulbrood were absent while chalkbrood disease was prevalent. Environmental factors of high temperature, high rainfall and high relative and hive humidity enhanced the spread of pests and disease pathogens. Many insecticides were constantly applied by the farmers on the crops in the surrounding farmland. Two of the commonly used insecticides DDVP (Dichlorvos) and Cyperforce (Cypermetrin) were discovered to have increased mortality on worker honey bees with progressively larger doses. It was obvious that insecticide toxicity had a significant effect on the colony. Hence, ecological and management problems had contributed to the decline in colony establishment in this area.Keywords: colony, decline, varroasis, infestation, toxicityAfrican Journal of Food, Agriculture, Nutrition and Development, Volume 13 No. 2 April 201

Ascorbate Biosynthesis during Early Fruit Development Is the Main Reason for Its Accumulation in Kiwi

Background: Ascorbic acid (AsA) is a unique antioxidant as well as an enzyme cofactor. Although it has multiple roles in plants, it is unclear how its accumulation is controlled at the expression level, especially in sink tissues. Kiwifruit (Actinidia) is well-known for its high ascorbate content. Our objective was to determine whether AsA accumulates in the fruits primarily through biosynthesis or because it is imported from the foliage. Methodology/Principal Findings: We systematically investigated AsA levels, biosynthetic capacity, and mRNA expression of genes involved in AsA biosynthesis in kiwi (A. deliciosa cv. Qinmei). Recycling and AsA localization were also monitored during fruit development and among different tissue types. Over time, the amount of AsA, with its capacity for higher biosynthesis and lower recycling, peaked at 30 days after anthesis (DAA), and then decreased markedly up to 60 DAA before declining more slowly. Expression of key genes showed similar patterns of change, except for L-galactono-1,4-lactone dehydrogenase and L-galactose-1-phosphate phosphatase (GPP). However, GPP had good correlation with the rate of AsA accumulation. The expression of these genes could be detected in phloem of stem as well as petiole of leaf and fruit. Additionally, fruit petioles had greater ascorbate amounts, although that was the site of lowest expression by most genes. Fruit microtubule tissues also had higher AsA. However, exogenous applications of AsA to those petioles did not lead to its transport into fruits, and distribution of ascorbate was cell-specific in the fruits, with more accumulation occurring in large

Efficacy of Quasi Agro Binding Fibre on the Hybrid Composite Used in Advance Application

The choice for natural fibre obtained from agricultural products is on the rise due to its solution to eco-friendly, environmental and improved mechanical properties concerns. Its abundant availability, low cost, emission reduction and adaptability to base material for composite make it a prime material for selection. This review explores diverse perspectives to the future trend of agro fibre in terms of the thermo-mechanical properties as it applies to advanced application in building structures. It is important to investigate the ecofriendliness of the products of composites from fibres in agricultural wastes so as to achieve a green and sustainable environment. This will come to fore by the combined efforts of both researchers and feedback from building stakeholders

Challenges Associated With The Honey Bee (Apis Mellifera Adansonii) Colonies Establishment In South Western Nigeria

The southwestern part of Nigeria is a tropical rainforest region having many local beekeepers. These beekeepers have experienced decline in colony establishment in the recent past. A study carried out in Lagos, Ogun and Osun states between December 2009 and September 2011 examined 14 randomly selected commercial bee farms for problems associated with decline in colony establishment. Sampling and treatments were split equally between each apiary and three colonies were selected in each. All the colonies were housed in Tanzania/local top bar hives. There were 58.34, 44.84 and 40.61 average percentage declines in colony establishment in Lagos, Ogun and Osun States, respectively. Presence of pests and diseases, pesticide poisoning, poor hive and seasonal management, ecological problem and lack of queen rearing were potential problems identified by the beekeepers. All the apiaries had pests like Crickets, Ants (Companotus pennsylvanicus), Small Hive beetle (Aethina tumida), Termites (Macrotermes spp) and Spider (Lactrodectus mactan). Varroa mite infestations were found in 33 (78.57%) of apiaries sampled. There was no significant difference between the levels of Varroa infestation in all the colonies during the dry and wet seasons at confidence interval of 95 percent (t = 1.542, df = 13, p = 0.147 (p> 0.05). Nosema spores were found in 27 (64.29%) colonies examined. The number of spores range from 16 x 103 to 30.4 x 103. There were no significant differences in the infection from colony to colony, apiary to apiary and between dry and wet seasons (t = - 0.094 df = 11, P = 0.927 (P > 0.05). Diseases like American and European foulbrood were absent while chalkbrood disease was prevalent. Environmental factors of high temperature, high rainfall and high relative and hive humidity enhanced the spread of pests and disease pathogens. Many insecticides were constantly applied by the farmers on the crops in the surrounding farmland. Two of the commonly used insecticides DDVP (Dichlorvos) and Cyperforce (Cypermetrin) were discovered to have increased mortality on worker honey bees with progressively larger doses. It was obvious that insecticide toxicity had a significant effect on the colony. Hence, ecological and management problems had contributed to the decline in colony establishment in this area