Study of the activity of sunflower honey against a mixed microbial association isolated from bees with signs of dyspepsia in laboratory conditions

Beekeeping is one of the essential branches of agriculture in Ukraine, the main activity of which is aimed at breeding bees and obtaining honey and other products beneficial for human health. Maintaining the physiological state of bee colonies at the proper level is one of the essential tasks of veterinary medicine doctors and beekeepers. Compliance with veterinary and sanitary requirements at bee farms is the basis of preventing infectious pathologies in bee colonies. Since the body of insects has a fast metabolism, any infectious pathology quickly acquires a massive manifestation. One indicative symptom of infectious damage to the “gut” of bees is dyspepsia. Diarrhea, anorexia, and loss of productivity are observed in bees in this condition. The market of means to prevent such pathological manifestations in beekeeping is relatively narrow. The healing and favorable properties of honey, manifested in pain-relieving, antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory effects, have been known since ancient times. Sunflower honey differs from other types in a wide range of components, particularly phytoncides, which inhibit the growth of pathogenic microorganisms. Therefore, the main goal of the experiment was a laboratory study of the effect of different concentrations of sunflower honey sieve on the mixed microbial association isolated from bees with signs of dyspepsia. The activity of sunflower honey in laboratory conditions was studied by the disco-diffusion method in Petri dishes on MPA medium (meat-peptone agar). To obtain syrup from sunflower honey, sunflower honey was diluted with distilled water in a ratio of 1:1, working solutions were prepared from sunflower honey syrup in dilutions of 1:2, 1:4, 1:10, 1:100. The data analysis indicates the bacteriostatic activity of the syrup from sunflower honey in all studied concentrations concerning the mixed microbial association. Moreover, the largest diameter of the growth inhibition zone of the studied microorganisms was noted when the syrup from sunflower honey was diluted in a ratio of 1:10 (19.2 ± 0.42 mm). In turn, the antagonistic effect of the syrup from sunflower honey was observed in all dilutions concerning the mixed microbial association, where the largest diameter of the antagonism was 19.6 ± 0.27 mm when the disc was impregnated with the native working solution. Thus, it is promising to accumulate and identify a pure culture antagonist concerning a mixed culture of bacteria isolated during bee diarrhea to further create a pharmacological agent for preventing infectious pathologies of bees in unhealthy apiaries

An efficient strategy for the development of tourism at regional level

Tourism promotes the development of small and medium-sized business, an increase in employment and self-employment, and allows smoothing the disproportions of territorial development. The objective of this work is to study the modern state of the tourism industry and to reveal the strategical development trends of tourism in the regions of the Southern Federal District (SFD). The statistical data of Rosstat (Federal Service of State Statistics), Federal Agency for Tourism, the database of the EMISS (Unified Interdepartmental Statistical Information System) and other open sources of information were used as the sources of secondary information. The practical part of the research is based upon the application of the author’s method of estimation of the current state of the tourism industry in the regions that presupposes the calculation of the complex index of tourism development in the region. The results of the performed research allowed classifying the regions according to the level of tourism development and determining the strategies of competitiveness improvement of the regional touristic products on its base.peer-reviewe

Investment instruments to stimulate depressed regions’ development

There are a number of problems of regional development, including tgose that impress most of all – the growing differentiation and polarization of the regions’ development. It caused the emergence of so called depressed territories with the level of social and economic development being the lowest among the territories of this type. In this context, it is quite urgent to stimulate the development of depressed territories, in particular, the development and efficient use of investment instruments in this process. This research aims at stipulating investment instruments to support the development of depressed regions. The article considers theoretical grounds of the emergence and functioning of depressed regions, foreign experience on financial support for the depressed territories’ development. Based on experts’ survey, investment instruments to support the development of depressed regions are stipulated, peculiarities of forming priorities of developing depressed regions are specified, an algorithm for selecting top priority areas for economic activity in the depressed region is offered, a generalized system of financial instruments to stimulate the development of priorities for sustainable development of the depressed region is given, and consequences of applying them in the region are characterized.peer-reviewe

Epizootic monitoring of contagious diseases of bees in Rivne region for the period of 2018–2022

The important role of honey bees has been known for a long time, as the successful work of Apis mellifera helps to maintain natural biogeocenoses and provides humanity with food and medicinal production. The massive loss of honeybee colonies in the southern and eastern border regions of Ukraine is putting a strain on beekeeping production in the north-western regions of Ukraine. To intensify apiaries, there is a need for systematic and regular monitoring research. Epizootic monitoring provides data on the health of honey bees in a specific geographical region that can be scientifically substantiated. To analyse the epizootic situation with contagious bee diseases in the Rivne region in 2017–2022, we used official data from the State Service of Ukraine on Food Safety and Consumer Protection in the Rivne region. In addition to epizootic monitoring, the aim of our study was to identify the most common bee diseases in this region. The analysis of the results shows that diagnostic tests for varroosis and nosema, acarapidosis, American and European foulbroods, and amoebiasis are planned and carried out systematically. From 2017 to 2021, the number of diagnostic tests for bacterial diseases of bees was increased. At the same time, in 2022, the activity of such research decreased by 6.4% in comparison to 2021. A different pattern was registered for parasitic diseases of bees. For example, there was an increase in the number of such studies from 2019 (1678 studies) to 2022 (3184 studies). It was found that the Rivne region has been safe from American and European foulbroods, acarapidosis, braulosis and amoebiasis for the last 6 years. Varoosis and nosema are registered annually in 2017–2022, with the infection rate for these diseases set at 11.06 % (2020) – 14.82 % (2022), respectively. This data is likely to indicate a change in the economic situation of beekeepers, which makes it impossible to prevent hives from being treated for certain diseases in a timely manner. Thus, the analysis of laboratory tests for contagious diseases of bees helps to detail the epizootic state of a particular region, which allows to determine the direction for veterinary and sanitary measures for a specific apiary