| Name: | Description: | Size: | Format: | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.43 MB | Adobe PDF |
Advisor(s)
Abstract(s)
O pólen apícola resulta da aglutinação do pólen das flores efetuada pelas abelhas, mediante o acréscimo de substâncias salivares e pequenas quantidades de néctar ou mel. Enquanto o mel é armazenado na colmeia dependendo da disponibilidade de néctar na vizinhança da colmeia, o pólen apenas é recolhido pelas abelhas consoante as necessidades da colónia, representando a sua principal fonte de proteínas.
A recolha de pólen para consumo humano pode ser realizada através da colocação de um dispositivo capta-pólen à entrada da colmeia o que provoca a queda das cargas polínicas transportadas pelas abelhas nas patas posteriores. Este produto apícola é uma fonte complementar do rendimento do apicultor, mas o sucesso da sua produção é dependente das caraterísticas da flora em redor do apiário e do impacto que a captura de pólen representa na produção de mel. Este trabalho tem por objetivo avaliar e caraterizar, em duas regiões de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, a produção de pólen e o seu o impacto na produção de mel, com a aplicação de diferentes metodologias de recolha.
A recolha de pólen realizou-se em quatro apiários, dois no concelho de Vila Nova de Foz Côa e dois no concelho em Bragança. Em três apiários, Castelo Melhor (CM), em Vila Nova de Foz Côa, Vale das Vinhas (VV) e Reboleira (REB), em Bragança, selecionaram-se 10 colónias, divididas em dois grupos de 5 colónias cada, um para controlo e outro para a produção de pólen. Num dos grupos colocaram-se capta-pólenes com a grelha fechada durante dois dias para a recolha, abrindo-se nos dois dias seguintes para permitir a entrada de pólen para a colónia. No quarto apiário, Senhora do Campo (SC), em Vila Nova de Foz Côa, utilizaram-se quinze colónias, estabelecendo-se três grupos de trabalho com cinco colónias cada. Colocaram-se os capta-pólenes em dez colmeias (dois grupos) e servindo as restantes cinco como grupo de controlo. Num dos grupos a grelha do capta-pólen permaneceu ininterruptamente fechada durante todo o período experimental, enquanto no restante grupo com capta-pólen o processo de recolha de pólen foi idêntico ao descrito para os restantes apiários.
A colheita de pólen realizou-se de abril a junho nos apiários de Vila Nova de Foz Côa, e entre maio e julho nos apiários de Bragança. No final da época de produção, efetuou-se a cresta das meias-alças e a quantificação do mel produzido por colónia.
Nos apiários de Vila Nova de Foz Côa constatou-se que a maior produção de pólen ocorreu num período de três semanas, entre os finais de abril até meados de maio, com um máximo de produção observado no início de maio. Após este período a produção reduz-se, o que refletirá a menor disponibilidade de plantas produtoras de pólen. Comparando a produtividade global dos dois métodos de recolha aplicados, é evidente o ganho na produção de pólen com a colocação contínua das grelhas correspondendo a um aumento de 50% na quantidade de pólen obtido, atingindo uma média de 2 kg de pólen por colmeia.
Para os apiários localizados no concelho de Bragança os picos de produção de pólen foram muito diferentes dos restantes, ocorrendo a maior produção de pólen de meados de junho até meados de julho, uma vez que a floração nestas regiões ocorre desfasada. Ao nível da produção, verificou-se também uma maior persistência na quantidade de pólen recolhida em Bragança, prolongando-se as maiores produções nos apiários de Bragança durante seis semanas. Este prolongamento do período refletiu-se num ganho de produção superior a 47%, evidenciando as vantagens desta localização.
A origem floral do pólen recolhido é muito dependente da localização geográfica e varia significativamente com a época. No entanto, e considerando os períodos de maior recolha de pólen nos diferentes apiários, é de realçar a importância do contributo das Cistaceas (Cytisus sp) e Fabaceas (Cistus sp,) para os primeiros picos de produção, atribuindo-se à família Fagacea (Castanea sativa) em finais de junho e inícios de julho o aumento da produção de pólen na região de Bragança.
Relativamente às caraterísticas das cargas polínicas, o pólen recolhido em Vila Nova de Foz Côa apresentou valores de humidade inferiores (16%) comparativamente com o pólen dos apiários de Bragança (21%), registando-se globalmente valores abaixo dos 30% descritos na literatura para o pólen fresco. O peso das cargas polínicas também oscilou ao longo do tempo, registando-se em três dos apiários uma redução, o que parece apontar para uma adaptação das abelhas em pastoreio ao capta-pólen com o objetivo de aumentar a eficiência da entrada de pólen na colmeia.
Quanto à produção de mel, as quantidades produzidas nos apiários de Bragança foram superiores comparativamente com os de Vila Nova de Foz Côa, verificando-se nas colmeias com capta-pólen uma redução média de 18%, o que vem comprovar o impacto negativo da colocação do capta-pólen na produção de mel. Este decréscimo de produtividade é, no entanto, compensado pelo aporte de pólen com um valor comercial superior ao do mel.
Bee pollen is the result of the agglutination of pollens from the flowers, made by worker honey bees with the addition of nectar or honey and salivary substances. While honey is stored in hive depending on the availability of nectar in the vicinity of the hive, pollen is only collected by bees depending on the needs of the colony, representing the main source of protein. The collection of pollen for consumption can be achieved through the placement of pollen traps at the entrance of the hive, what causes the falling of the pollen loads carried by bees in the back legs. This hive product is a complementary source of income for the beekeeper, but the success of its production depends on the flora characteristics around the apiary and the impact that pollen capture can represent on honey production. The aim of this study is to evaluate and characterize, in two regions of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, the production of pollen collection and its impact on the production of honey, using different collection methodologies. The pollen collection was held in four apiaries, two in Vila Nova de Foz Côa county and two in Bragança county. In three apiaries, Castelo Melhor (CM), in Vila Nova de Foz Côa, Vale das Vinhas (VV) and Reboleira (REB), in Bragança, 10 colonies were selected and divided into two groups, one for control and one for the production of pollen. In 5 hives the pollen traps were placed and the grid was kept closed for two days for collection, and opened in the following two days to allow the entry of some pollen to the colony. On the fourth apiary, Senhora do Campo (SC), in Vila Nova de Foz Côa, 15 colonies were used for the establishing of three working groups, each with five colonies. Ten of those hives were fitted with pollen traps (two groups) while the other five hives were used as control group. In one of the groups with pollen traps, the grid was kept continuously closed during the entire experimental period, while in the remaining group with pollen traps the process for pollen collecting was identical to that described above for the other apiaries. The harvesting season of pollen was held from April to June in the apiaries of Vila Nova de Foz Côa, and between May and July in the apiaries located at Bragança. At the end of the season, the honey on the suppers was harvested and quantified individually by colony.In the apiaries of Vila Nova de Foz Côa the greater pollen production occurs within a period of three weeks between the end of april until mid-May, with a maximum observed at the beginning of May. After this period, the production is reduced, which may reflect the lower availability of pollen producer plants. Comparing the overall productivity of the two collection methods evaluated, there is a clear gain in pollen production with the placement of continuous grids corresponding to an increase of 50% in the amount of pollen obtained, reaching an average of 2 kg of pollen per hive. In the apiaries located in Bragança county, the peaks of pollen production were very different from those others, occurring a greater collection of pollen from mid-June to mid-July, due to the flowering offset between these regions. A greater persistence in the amount of pollen collected in Bragança was also observed, with the productions levels remaining high for six weeks. This longer period reflects a gain of more than 47 %, highlighting the advantages of this location. The floral origin of pollen collected is very dependent on the geographical location and varies significantly with the season, however, and considering the periods of greatest collection of pollen in the different apiaries, is clear the importance of the contribution of Cistaceas (Cytisus sp) and Fabaceas (Cistus sp) to the first production peaks, while the family Fagacea (Castanea sativa) in late June and early July was responsible for the increase on pollen production in the region of Bragança. Regarding the characteristics of the pollen loads, the pollen collected in apiaries of Vila Nova de Foz Côa presents lower values of humidity (16 %) compared with the pollen from the apiaries of Bragança (21 %), with overall values below 30 % as described in the literature for fresh pollen. The weight of the pollen loads also revealed a fluctuation over time, highlighting the weight reduction in three of the apiaries, which seems to point for an adaptation of honey bees to the pollen trap, as an intent of increasing the efficiency of pollen uptake in the hive. The honey production in Bragança apiaries were higher compared with those from Vila Nova de Foz Côa, with the hives where the pollen traps were installed revealing an average decrease of 18 %. This confirms the negative impact of pollen collection in the honey production. This decrease of productivity is, however, counterbalance by the contribution of bee pollen as new product from the hive, with a greater commercial value than honey.
Bee pollen is the result of the agglutination of pollens from the flowers, made by worker honey bees with the addition of nectar or honey and salivary substances. While honey is stored in hive depending on the availability of nectar in the vicinity of the hive, pollen is only collected by bees depending on the needs of the colony, representing the main source of protein. The collection of pollen for consumption can be achieved through the placement of pollen traps at the entrance of the hive, what causes the falling of the pollen loads carried by bees in the back legs. This hive product is a complementary source of income for the beekeeper, but the success of its production depends on the flora characteristics around the apiary and the impact that pollen capture can represent on honey production. The aim of this study is to evaluate and characterize, in two regions of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, the production of pollen collection and its impact on the production of honey, using different collection methodologies. The pollen collection was held in four apiaries, two in Vila Nova de Foz Côa county and two in Bragança county. In three apiaries, Castelo Melhor (CM), in Vila Nova de Foz Côa, Vale das Vinhas (VV) and Reboleira (REB), in Bragança, 10 colonies were selected and divided into two groups, one for control and one for the production of pollen. In 5 hives the pollen traps were placed and the grid was kept closed for two days for collection, and opened in the following two days to allow the entry of some pollen to the colony. On the fourth apiary, Senhora do Campo (SC), in Vila Nova de Foz Côa, 15 colonies were used for the establishing of three working groups, each with five colonies. Ten of those hives were fitted with pollen traps (two groups) while the other five hives were used as control group. In one of the groups with pollen traps, the grid was kept continuously closed during the entire experimental period, while in the remaining group with pollen traps the process for pollen collecting was identical to that described above for the other apiaries. The harvesting season of pollen was held from April to June in the apiaries of Vila Nova de Foz Côa, and between May and July in the apiaries located at Bragança. At the end of the season, the honey on the suppers was harvested and quantified individually by colony.In the apiaries of Vila Nova de Foz Côa the greater pollen production occurs within a period of three weeks between the end of april until mid-May, with a maximum observed at the beginning of May. After this period, the production is reduced, which may reflect the lower availability of pollen producer plants. Comparing the overall productivity of the two collection methods evaluated, there is a clear gain in pollen production with the placement of continuous grids corresponding to an increase of 50% in the amount of pollen obtained, reaching an average of 2 kg of pollen per hive. In the apiaries located in Bragança county, the peaks of pollen production were very different from those others, occurring a greater collection of pollen from mid-June to mid-July, due to the flowering offset between these regions. A greater persistence in the amount of pollen collected in Bragança was also observed, with the productions levels remaining high for six weeks. This longer period reflects a gain of more than 47 %, highlighting the advantages of this location. The floral origin of pollen collected is very dependent on the geographical location and varies significantly with the season, however, and considering the periods of greatest collection of pollen in the different apiaries, is clear the importance of the contribution of Cistaceas (Cytisus sp) and Fabaceas (Cistus sp) to the first production peaks, while the family Fagacea (Castanea sativa) in late June and early July was responsible for the increase on pollen production in the region of Bragança. Regarding the characteristics of the pollen loads, the pollen collected in apiaries of Vila Nova de Foz Côa presents lower values of humidity (16 %) compared with the pollen from the apiaries of Bragança (21 %), with overall values below 30 % as described in the literature for fresh pollen. The weight of the pollen loads also revealed a fluctuation over time, highlighting the weight reduction in three of the apiaries, which seems to point for an adaptation of honey bees to the pollen trap, as an intent of increasing the efficiency of pollen uptake in the hive. The honey production in Bragança apiaries were higher compared with those from Vila Nova de Foz Côa, with the hives where the pollen traps were installed revealing an average decrease of 18 %. This confirms the negative impact of pollen collection in the honey production. This decrease of productivity is, however, counterbalance by the contribution of bee pollen as new product from the hive, with a greater commercial value than honey.
Description
Keywords
Apicultura Pólen apícola Análise polínica Produção de mel