Geni da Silva Sodré

Physicochemical composition of Apis mellifera honey samples from São Paulo State, Brazil

This research, developed with Apis mellifera honey samples from producers of Sao Paulo State, Brazil, has the objective of verifying how eucalyptus, wild flower, and orange honey samples would be clustered, based on physicochemical characteristics. All the orange honey samples and some wild flower ones formed distinct groups, thus confirming that the floral source interferes with honey characteristics. Eucalyptus and some of the wild flower honey samples were clustered together because of the great floral source variation in the latter ones. The characteristics that influence sample clustering are acidity and electric conductivity on the X axis, and total sugars and pH on the Y axis.

Tipos polínicos encontrados em amostras de méis de Apis mellifera em Picos, Estado do Piauí

Com o objetivo de determinar os tipos polinicos de meis produzidos por Apis mellifera L., 1758, no municipio de Picos, Estado do Piaui, foram realizadas analises polinicas de 35 amostras de meis coletadas entre novembro e dezembro de 2001 no Laboratorio de Apicultura do Departamento de Entomologia, Fitopatologia e Zoologia Agricola da Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz, Universidade de Sao Paulo. A identificacao dos tipos polinicos foi realizada por meio de descricoes obtidas em literatura especializada. Os resultados demonstraram que foram encontrados 36 tipos polinicos, distribuidos em 18 familias botânicas, sendo consideradas como polen dominante Piptadenia sp. (Mimosaceae), Mimosa caesalpiniiaefolia Benth. (Mimosaceae), M. verrucosa Benth. (Mimosaceae) e Croton urucurana Baill. (Euphorbiaceae).

Caracterização físico-química de amostras de méis de Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae) do Estado do Ceará

This research was aimed at to determining physico-chemical characteristics honey samples collected in cities of Ceara States (Araripe; Santana do Cariri 1 sample; Assare 1 sample; Iguatu 8 samples; Crato 4 samples; Missao Velha 2 samples and Pacajus 3 samples), they were determined at the laboratory of Apiculture in the Escola Superior de Agricultura Luiz de Queiroz (ESALQ) University of Sao Paulo, in Piracicaba, Sao Paulo State: total sugar, reducing sugars, apparent sucrose, humidity, diastase activity, hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF), protein, ash, pH, acidity, formol index, electrical conductivity, viscosity and color of 20 samples of Apis mellifera L., 1758 honey collected between March of 2002 and August of 2002. Most of the samples of honey analyzed (65%) are inside of the Brazilian specifications for the characteristics physical-chemistries except for the characteristics apparent sucrose (10% of the samples), humidity (10% of the samples), diastase activity (35% of the samples) and HMF (20% of the samples). The results showed electrical conductivity and apparent sucrose as characteristics that most influenced grouping samples.

Physicochemical characteristics and sensory profile of honey samples from stingless bees (Apidae: Meliponinae) submitted to a dehumidification process

This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of a dehumidification process on the physicochemical and sensory characteristics of stingless-bee honey. Melipona scutellaris and M. quadrifasciata honey samples were submitted to a dehumidification process and to physicochemical (reducing sugars, apparent sucrose, moisture, diastatic activity, hydroxymethylfurfural, ash, pH, acidity, and electric conductivity) and sensory evaluations (fluidity, color, aroma, crystallization,flavor,and acceptability). The results indicated that the dehumidification process does not interfere with honey quality and acceptability.

Perfil sensorial e aceitabilidade de méis de abelhas sem ferrão submetidos a processos de conservação

The present work was conducted to evaluate the sensorial profile and the acceptability of the honey of stingless bees submitted to two conservation processes seeking to obtain longer shelf life. The samples of Melipona scutellaris and M. quadrifasciata honey were collected in the State of Bahia, Brazil, between December 2005 and January 2006. The samples were first submitted to pasteurization and dehumidification processes and then to sensorial evaluation. The sensorial profile was determined in the Laboratory of Entomology in the Center for Agrarian, Biological, and Environmental Sciences of the Federal University of Reconcavo Bahiano, in Cruz das Almas, in the state of Bahia. The analyzed attributes were: fluidity, color, scent, crystallization, flavour, and acceptability. The results show that the conservation processes used do not interfere with the sensorial profile and the product acceptability.

Partitioning of pollen resources by two stingless bee species in the north Bahia, Brazil

Abstract Analysing the pollen stored by stingless bees allows identification of the diversity of flowering plants visited by these bees while collecting resources during a given period. However, few studies have focused on investigating the sharing of resources between species of native bees that coexist in transitional plant formations, which support conservation efforts and increase colony productivity. This study aims to describe the partitioning of pollen resources among colonies of two species of stingless bees in the state of the Bahia (Brazil) through the analysis of stored pollen. The study was conducted in neighbouring vegetation zones of the relevant species Melipona quadrifasciata anthidioides and Melipona scutellaris by collecting monthly pollen samples stored by three colonies of each species over one year. The collected samples were treated using the acetolysis technique, and the partitioning of pollen resources between the two species was investigated through quali-quantitative analysis of the treated pollen. The results show that among the 16 pollen types belonging to a particular species or group identified in the Melipona quadrifasciata anthidioides samples and the 18 identified in the Melipona scutellaris samples, 13 were shared by both species. The two most common pollen types stored by both species were from Mimosa arenosa (Fabaceae, Mimosoidae) and Eucalyptus sp. (Myrtaceae). These results demonstrate the niche similarity of pollen pasture between these two species and suggest that conservation efforts for these bee species should focus on the plant families most visited by bees.

Chemical, Microbiological, and Palynological Composition of the “Samburá” Melipona scutellaris Pot-Pollen

Pollen is an excellent source of protein, carbohydrates, minerals, and vitamins and is considered a food of high nutritional value as well as a source of income from economic diversification through beekeeping. In rational stingless beekeeping, known as meliponiculture, the pollen collected comes from storage pots inside the nest and is called pot-pollen or “sambura” in Brazil. A study of Melipona scutellaris “sambura” incorporated colonies from a meliponary in an anthropogenic forest, Camacari, Bahia, Brazil. Material was collected over two 3-month periods during the dry and rainy seasons. The mean values obtained from the physiochemical analyses were 44.71% moisture, 1.84% ash, 4.25% lipid, 23.88% protein, 0.87% fiber, 24.48% carbohydrate, pH 3.75, a free acidity of 150.57 meq/100 kg, a water activity of 0.92, and a total energy value of 231.33 kcal/100 g. Microbiological characterization showed there was no contamination by thermotolerant coliforms, molds or yeasts, or mesophilic or psychrotrophic aerobes. Pollen analysis detected 23 pollen types of 10 botanical families and 19 genera, with several belonging to Solanum (three types) and Eugenia (two types). Such parameters are relevant to food safety guide future studies on product regulation.

Pollen types from colonies of Melipona scutellaris Latreille, 1811 (Hymenoptera: Apidae) established in a coffee plantation

Abstract Melipona scutellaris is a eusocial bee with potential to be used as a crop pollinator. This study aimed to identify pollen types used by Melipona scutellaris through the analysis of pollen loads and honey samples in colonies established in a coffee plantation. We analysed 117 pollen loads and pollen content of 15 honey samples. In the pollen loads, we identified 40 pollen types. Poincianella pyramidalis, Coffea arabica, Commelina villosa, Mimosa tenuiflora, Myrcia, Senna macranthera, Solanum and Syagrus coronata stood out as predominant pollen. We found a negative correlation between the abundances of the pollen types Coffea arabica and Mimosa tenuiflora during coffee flowering. In the honey samples, we recorded 33 pollen types. Eucalyptus and Machaerium occurred in frequencies of between 16 and 45%. Although Melipona scutellaris gathers resources from several plant species, its diet is based on a relatively narrow subset of plants.

Hygienic behavior in Melipona quadrifasciata anthidioides (Apidae, Meliponini)

Hygienic behavior in stingless bees is a trait of workers that confers colony-level resistance against some brood diseases. Workers of hygienic colonies detect, uncap and remove dead or diseased brood from the nest cells. We examined the hygienic behavior in stingless bees (Melipona quadrifasciata anthidioides) from freeze-killed brood assay using liquid nitrogen. Responses were measured at 14 times (3, 6, 12, 24, 48, 72, 96, 120, 144, 168, 192, 216, 240 and 264xa0h after freeze-killing of the brood). Workers were estimated to remove on average 65% of larvae and 34% of dead pupae within 48xa0h of freezing. Workers removed dead brood rapidly after uncapping the cells. Strong colonies showed a greater removal of dead pupae, while the size of the population did not influence the removal of dead larvae. These findings report for the first time the hygienic behavior in M. q. anthidioides and confirm that workers have more difficulty removing pupae compared with larvae from the combs.

Aspects of the floral biology and pollen properties of Vigna unguiculata L. Walp (Fabaceae)

The present work had the objective of collecting information pertaining to the floral biology and properties related with the viability and germinability of black-eyed bean (Vigna unguiculata) pollen grains. The study was conducted in the municipal area of Cruz das Almas, Bahia, Brazilxa0duringxa0the months of April to June of the year 2011. In the climate and soil conditions of the study area,xa0V. unguiculataxa0anthesis is diurnal, occurring from 5.30 to 9.30 a.m. Over 90% of pollen grains remained viable, but the germinability rate was under 40%xa0in vitro. This information is relevant to subsidize bean crop pollination and genetic improvement programs. n n xa0 n n Key words:xa0Horticulture, genetic resources, pollination.