The Effects of L-methionine and L-lysine supplementation on honey production, population growth and honey bee (Apis mellifera) Queen egg laying

Panahalizadeh, Soleiman (2019) The Effects of L-methionine and L-lysine supplementation on honey production, population growth and honey bee (Apis mellifera) Queen egg laying. Masters thesis, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili.

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Abstract

The aim of the present study was to characterize the effects of L-methionine and L-lysine supplementation on population growth, honey bee (Apis mellifera) Queen egg laying and honey production. Research method: This study started in 15 May to 1 July continued for 45 days in Ardabil province. At the beginning of this experiment, 48 hives that has an appropriate population was chosen and colonies equalized in environment condition, population, honey and pollen store in broods and same sister queens. Hives fed with free-feeding and at other days with 250 ml syrup with 1:1 (1 liter of water and 1 kg of sugar) ratio. The experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design with 4 treatments and 12 replicates. The experimental treatments were: 1) control group (sugar syrup without amino acid supplementation) and treatments 2, 3 and 4 were fed with sugar syrup with Methionine, Lysine and Lysine and Methionine mix, respectively. In each treatment, one gram of amino acid was used in nutrition syrup. In each treatment, population size, laying performance of queens was measured four times with 10 days intervals and weight of honey was measured at the end of experiment. All data were analyzed based on a completely randomized design using the General Linear Models procedure of SAS. The means of all traits were compared by using Duncan test and P < 0.05 was considered as the significant level. Findings: The results showed significant differences between the treatments for population size, laying performance of queens and honey production (P < 0.05). In first and second periods, highest population was observed in Met/Lys treatment (7.25 and 8.42 frame, respectively) that was significant difference with other groups (P > 0.05). In fourth period and mean of periods, the highest populations of colonies were belong to the Met/Lys group (12.7 and 9.42 frame, respectively) and the lowest population (10.6 and 8.19 frame, respectively) were belong to the control. In first and third periods, Laying performance of queens was increased significantly by feeding Met/Lys compared to the control and Methionine groups (P < 0. 05). The highest honey production was observed in Met/Lys treatment (11.42 kg) that was significant difference (P > 0.05) with control and Methionine groups (9.30 and 10.19 kg, respectively). Conclusion: In overall, our study confirms the positive effectiveness of feeding Lysine and Methionine amino acids on population size, laying performance of queens and honey production. Therefore use of Met/Lys at supplement nutrition of honey bee is recommended.

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