Development of Apis mellifera L. Field Method for High Honey Productivity

• Grant number: 20/09231-9
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• Start date: January 01, 2021
• End date: April 30, 2024
• Field of knowledge: Interdisciplinary Subjects
• Principal Investigator: Ricardo de Oliveira Orsi
• Grantee: Samir Moura Kadri
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia (FMVZ). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Botucatu. Botucatu , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant(s): 25/12634-1 - 49th Apimondia - International Congress of Apiculture\, AR.EXT
• Associated scholarship(s): 22/14754-6 - Molecular diagnoses diseases in Africanized Apis mellifera honeybees selected for high honey production, BE.EP.PD

Abstract

The beekeeping activity has been technically improved principally in the breeding and colonies selection for high honey productivity in order to make the activity more profitable and productive. However, most beekeepers capture natural migratory swarms, divide and buy swarms from other producers to replace or increase the number of colonies without any genetic improvement process to increase honey productivity, these swarms can have unfavorable honey production genetic characteristics, affecting productivity significantly. These differences can decrease the efficiency and competitiveness of commercial beekeepers, so it is important to develop breeding programs. However, they can be time-consuming and laborious. Thus, it is necessary to develop a fast and accurate diagnosis for high honey productivity colonies selection. The aim of this research will be validate a SNP (Single Nucleotide Polymorphsm) panel for honey productivity in commercial colonies from São Paulo State beekeepers; describe candidate genes that affect honey production, standardize and genotype colonies by an allelic discrimination assay, using Taqman® and developing a field genotyping protocol for honey production related SNPs. For this purpose, 200 colonies from 10 beekeepers and 12 workerbees will be collected from each colony. After DNA extraction from workers thorax tissue, an allelic discrimination assays with previously six selected SNPs will be performed (Process FAPESP 2013 / 01588-1) applying Taqman® method. A kit for field genotyping will be developed using G-quadruplex PCR technique. This kit will be validated at field with the same 200 colonies selected. Results from polymorphisms genotyping will be compared with colonies honey productivity data. The SNPs distribution in commercial colonies sampled and honey productivity data will be statistically analyzed by use of Chi-square test.