The effect of different levels of Rosa canina hydroalcoholic extract on the development of hypopharyngeal glands, growth parameters and honey production of honey bee colonies (Apis mellifera)

Today, for the preservation and survival of honey bee colonies, special attention has been paid to the nutrition of colonies with extracts of medicinal plants. In this experiment, the effect of different levels of Rosa canina hydroalcoholic extract on population, queen egg laying, brood rearing, honey production and development of the hypopharyngeal glands of honey bee colonies (Apis mellifera) were studied during summer in an apiary in Ardabil province. At the beginning of the experiment, the colonies were homogenized according to the population, food storage and queens of the same age. The colonies were fed with control treatment and different concentrations of Rosa canina extract (2, 4 and 8% of the extract) during1 month. Brood rearing and queen egg laying were measured by Lattice frame (size of the squares are 5×5 cm2). The population of adult honey bee was measured by frame and 30 days after feeding the colonies. To investigate development of the hypopharyngeal glands, length and width of 10 acini from different parts of the gland for age 3, 6, 9, 12 and 15 days were measured using a stereomicroscope and by software (T Capture).This experiment was performed in a completely randomized design with four replications and four treatments. In this study, treatment of 2% Rosa canina extract had a significant effect on brood rearing, but in queen egg laying, population and honey production, although it had a better effect numerically, but this effect was not statistically significant. In the growth of hypopharyngeal glands, the highest growth of acini level at 3 days (0.0432 mm2) for honey bees fed with 4% Rosa canina extract and at 9 and 12 days (respectively 0.0763 and 0.0722 mm2) It belonged to the colonies fed with 2% Rosa canina extract (P<0.05). In general, it can be said that the use of 2% of Rosa canina hydroalcoholic extract has been effective in improving the performance of honey bee colonies. It is also recommended for beekeepers to use Rosa canina hydroalcoholic extract as a nutritional supplement.