Published in Scientific Papers. Series D. Animal Science, Vol. LXIV, Issue 2
Written by Valentina CEBOTARI, Ion BUZU
The aim of the present research was to reveal, in special experiments, the morpho-productive advantages and The aim of the present research was to reveal, in special experiments, the morpho-productive advantages and disadvantages of instrumentally inseminated queens, compared to their contemporaries naturally paired in nuptial flight.Two scientific experiments were carried out at the experimental apiary of the Institute of Zoology of the Academy of Sciences of Moldova (ASM), on two similar batches of bee colonies with instrumentally inseminated and naturally mated queens, of Apis mellifera Carpatica race, maintained in similar conditions feeding and maintenance. The results of the research showed that the instrumental insemination of queens is an innovative and efficient technological method for increasing the productivity of bee families, increasing production volumes and raising the economic efficiency of the beekeeping branch. Instrumentally inseminated queens have a higher prolificacy, compared to their contemporaries naturally mated in the nuptial flight, with 164 eggs/24 hours, or 10.0% (td = 6.1; P <0.001). Working bees from the families of instrumentally inseminated queens had a higher development of external morphometric indices, compared to their contemporaries from the families of queens naturally mated in nuptial flight, such as humus at: horn length - 0.19 mm, or 2.9% (td = 6.71; P<0.001), the ulnar index of the anterior right wing - by 4.3 absolute units, or by 10.2% (td = 5.00; P <0.001) and the share of bees with positive discoidal dislocation - by 11.0 absolute units, or by 15.4% (td = 3.10; P <0.01).The bee families of the instrumentally inseminated queens had a significantly higher development of the level of morpho-productive characters, compared to their contemporaries of the queens naturally mated in the nuptial flight, as follows: colony power - by 0.17 kg, or by 6.5% (td = 6.07; P<0.001), disease resistance - by 3.4 absolute units, or by 4.1% (td = 3.15; P <0.01), viability of the seedling - by 4.0 absolute units, or by 4.7% (td = 3.70; P <0.001) and honey production - by 8.39 kg, or by 19.9% (td = 5.31; P<0.001). Bee families of queen-daughters obtained from instrumentally inseminated mother-queens possess a higher genetic potential for productivity than their contemporaries of queen-daughters obtained from mother-queens naturally mated in nuptial flight, as follows: colony power- by 0.12 kg, or by 4.2% (td = 2.26; P<0.05), disease resistance - by 1.8 absolute units, or by 2.0% (td = 2.50; P<0.05), viability of the brood - by 1.9 absolute units, or by 2.1% (td = 2.84; P<0.01) and in honey production - by 5.30 kg, or with 12.6% (td = 3.01; P<0.01).In the following winter, bee families of queen-daughters obtained from instrumentally inseminated mother-queens had a higher wintering capacity (winter hardiness) than their contemporaries of queen-daughters obtained from mother-queens naturally paired in nuptial flight, by 4.0 absolute units, or by 5.0% (td = 2.25; P<0.05).
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