Comparison of wintering ability and colony performances of different honeybee (apis mellifera l.) genotypes in eastern anatolian/turkey conditions

Abstract

In this study, wintering ability and some physiological properties of Buckfast, Carniolan, Caucasian and Erzurum honeybee genotypes were investigated in Eastern Anatolian conditions. During the wintering season of 2014, a total of 48 colonies, 12 from each of Buckfast, Carniolan, Caucasian and Erzurum honey bee genotypes, were taken from the equilibrated colonies of Langstroth type wooden hives for wintering. In the 2015 production period, a total of 43 colonies,11 from each of Buckfast, Carniolan, Erzurum genotypes and 10 from Caucasian genotype were used in the study. In the production season, the average number of combs covered with bees in genotype groups were found as 11.72±0.63, 12.17±0.62, 9.52±0.51 and 10.72±0.55 per colony, and the average brood areas were found as 2713.7±237.9, 2797.6±238.3, 2036.5±166.4, 2364.3±197.2 cm2/colony (19.04.2015-4.10.2015). The difference between the groups was found statistically significant (P<0.01) in terms of number of combs covered with bees and brood areas. Averarage honey yields were determined as 28.08±2.37, 29.94±2.17, 19.28±2.13 and 23.36±2.15 kg/colony, respectively. The difference between groups in honey yield was found statistically significant (P<0.05).

Keywords

• honeybee
• apis mellifera l.
• wintering ability
• honey yield
• genotype