A Comprehensive Characterization of the Honeybees in Siberia (Russia)

• Main Authors: Ostroverkhova, Nadezhda V., Konusova, Olga L., Kucher, Aksana N., Sharakhov, Igor V.
• Format: Other/Unknown Material
• Language: English
• Published: IntechOpen 2016
• Subjects: Beekeeping and Bee Conservation - Advances in Research; Krasnoyarsk Krai; Siberia
• Online Access: https://mts.intechopen.com/articles/show/title/a-comprehensive-characterization-of-the-honeybees-in-siberia-russia-; https://doi.org/10.5772/62395

A comprehensive study of some populations of honeybee (332 colonies) in Siberia (Tomsk region, Krasnoyarsk Krai (Yenisei population), Altai) using morphometric and molecular genetic methods was conducted. Infestation of bees (132 colonies) by Nosema has also been studied. Three variants of the COI-COII mtDNA locus were registered: PQQ, PQQQ (typical for Apis m. mellifera), and Q (specific for southern races). It was established that 64% of bee colonies from the Tomsk region and all colonies studied from the Krasnoyarsk and the Altai territories originate from Apis m. mellifera on the maternal line. According to the morphometric study, the majority of bee colonies of the Tomsk region are hybrids; in some colonies the mismatch of morphometric and mtDNA data was observed. Moreover, the majority of bee colonies infected by Nosema were hybrids. Yenisei population may be considered as a unique Apis m. mellifera population. Microsatellite analysis (loci А008, Ap049, AC117, AC216, Ap243, H110, A024, A113) showed the specific distribution of genotypes and alleles for some loci in the bees, which differ by geographical location. Loci A024 and Ap049 are of considerable interest for further study as candidate markers for differentiation of subspecies; locus A008 can be considered informative for determining of different ecotypes of Apis m. mellifera.