Studies on the effect of artificial diet on development of apis mellifera L. colony
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Date
2006
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Publisher
CCSHAU
Abstract
Research entitled “Studies on the effect of artificial diet
on development of Apis mellifera L. colony” was conducted from
June to September, 2005. Total of thirty three A. mellifera
colonies were selected and equalized in early June. Total of 10
diets were prepared with different quantities of various
ingredients viz. soybean meal (Sm), Parched gram flour (Pg),
Soybean nuggest flour (Snf); brewer’s yeast (Y), Fish meal (Fm)
and pollen, with milk powder, grinded sugar and honey dough
was prepared and 100g of each diet in each colony was placed
on top bar of frames in bee hive and three colonies were kept as
control. Diets were provided at weekly interval and observations were recorded in terms of diet consumed (g), brood area (cm2),
pollen area (cm2), honey area (cm2), bee strength (no. of
frames) and workers life (days). Longevity of worker bees was
observed by marking the bees just after emergence. Diet
containing pollen was consumed in higher amount (96.16
g/week) followed by SnfY (84.90 g/week), Fm (84.60g/week),
Snf (80.73 g/week), Pg SnfY (77.83 g/week) and Pg (74.76
g/week). Diets SmY and SmPgY were consumed in least
amount 29.13 and 36.23 g/week, respectively. Diets SmpgY,
SmY and pollen were having significantly higher brood area i.e.
1587.62, 1568.25, 1527.50 cm2 respectively than control
(1394.75 cm2) and Fm (1402.12 cm2), followed by Pg (1515.54
cm2), SnfY (1497.33 cm2), Snf (1488.95 cm2), Sm (1462.5 cm2)
and PgSnfY (1441.87 cm2) and SnfY (1419.95 cm2). Diets
SmPgY, SmY had significantly higher pollen area i.e. 502.25
and 484.54 cm2 than control (347.33 cm2) and Fm (368.54
cm2) followed by diets pollen (462.54 cm2), Pg (445.45 cm2),
Sm (429.37 cm2), PgSnfY (409.41 cm2). SnfY (391.37 cm2), Snf
(389.08 cm2) and PgY (387.29 cm2). Diets SmPgY (1733.70
cm2), SmY (1716.79 cm2) and pollen (1674.83 cm2) had
significantly higher nectar area than control (1470.70 cm2) and
Fm (1519.41 cm2) other diets Pg, Sm, Snf, PgY, SnfY had
1626.95, 1604.12, 1559.20, 1548.41 and 1524.25 cm2 nectar
area.
Diets pollen and SmPgY were having significantly higher
bee strength 9.06 frames and 8.52 frames than control (6.79
frames) and Fm (6.89 frames). Other diets Pg, SmY, SnfY,
PgSnfY, Sm and Snf had bee strength of 8.0, 7.95, 7.87, 7.72
and 7.45 frames, respectively. All the treatments were having
equal effect on bee longevity except pollen (34 and 30 days) and
PgY (31.33 and 29.33 days) in which bee longevity was
significantly higher than control (25.33 and 24.33 days) in two
sets of experiment. Diet pollen (Rs. 5.3 / 100g) was found most
economical and effective in bee colony development. Pg (Rs. 6.3
g/100g) and Snf (Rs. 6.3/100g) were at par with pollen in
respect of economy and pollen development.