Effects of different honeybee pheromones on the honey production and reproductive performance of Apis cerana cerana
Author of the article:LI Xin;ZHANG Jin-Ming;TU Qun;IANG Wu-Jun;XI Fang-Gui;HE Xu-Jiang;ZENG Zhi-Jiang
Author's Workplace:Honeybee Research Institute, Jiangxi Agricultural University, Nanchang 330045, China; Apicultural Research Institute of Jiangxi Province, Nanchang 330200, China; Jiangxi Province Key Laboratory of Honeybee Biology and Beekeeping, Nanchang 330045, China
Key Words:Apis cerana cerana; pheromone; β-ocimene; queen pheromones
Abstract:
[Objectives] To investigate the effects of honeybee pheromones on Apis
cerana cerana honey production and reproduction. [Methods] Using beeswax as a medium, four complex pheromones
(T1-1, T1-2, T2-1, T2-2) were created by mixing four mandibular gland pheromone
gradients(9-ODA, 9-HAD, HOB, HVA)with β-ocimene. Untreated beeswax was used as the control (CK).
T1-1, T1-2 were isolated in jars and β-ocimene was
quantified with GC-MS after 15, 30 and 45 days. The impacts of the four complex
pheromones on emergency queen rearing, honey production and the amount of bees
and brood, were quantified. [Results] The amount of released β-rolene
was not significantly different between T1-1 and T1-2 after 15, 30 and 45 days,
suggesting that the release of this pheromone is stable. Compared to the
control group, emergency queen rearing in the T1-2 group was delayed by 2.17
days (P < 0.05). However, the four treatment groups did not differ
significantly in this regard (P > 0.05). Compared to the control
group, the T1-1 group had 30.18% higher honey production and 30.00% more brood
(P < 0.05). The T1-2 group had 25.15% more adults bees compared to
the control group (P < 0.05). The number of adult bees and the amount
of brood did not, however, differ significantly among the four treatment groups
(P > 0.05). [Conclusion] Our results suggest that specific
pheromones facilitate colony growth in A.
c. cerana. This finding provides theoretical support for the application of
pheromones in apiculture.