Harvesting Season and Botanical Origin Interferes in Production and Nutritional Composition of Bee Pollen

We aimed to evaluate the frequency of bee pollen production, its botanical origin and chemical composition when collected in different seasons. Our results indicate that higher proteins (22.80 ± 3.09%) and flavonoids (2789.87 ± 1396.00 μg 100g^-1) levels were obtained in the winter season, which also showed greater pollen production (134.50 ± 35.70 grams) and predominance of the Myrtaceae family. As for spring we found high concentrations of lipids (4.62 ± 2.26%) and low ash content (2.22 ± 0.39%). Regarding the amino acid composition and vitamin C content, we found no differences between the averages throughout the seasons. Our results highlight the importance of understanding not only the botanical origin and the chemical composition of bee pollen, but also the harvesting frequency of this product by bees, so that it becomes possible to supplement the colonies in times of natural food resources shortage.

Key words:
Apis mellifera; bee flora; bee nutrition; seasonality; protein content

Authorship

ADRIANA F. NEGRÃO

Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade Estadual Paulista/UNESP, Campus Botucatu, Rua Dr. José Barbosa de Barros, 1780, Fazenda Experimental Lageado, 18610-307 Botucatu, SP, BrazilUniversidade Estadual PaulistaBrazilBotucatu, SP, BrazilFaculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade Estadual Paulista/UNESP, Campus Botucatu, Rua Dr. José Barbosa de Barros, 1780, Fazenda Experimental Lageado, 18610-307 Botucatu, SP, Brazil

RICARDO O. ORSI

Departamento de Produção Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade Estadual Paulista/UNESP, Campus Botucatu, Rua Prof. Dr. Walter Maurício Correa, s/n, Caixa Postal 560, 18618-681 Botucatu, SP, Brazil Universidade Estadual PaulistaBrazilBotucatu, SP, BrazilDepartamento de Produção Animal, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Universidade Estadual Paulista/UNESP, Campus Botucatu, Rua Prof. Dr. Walter Maurício Correa, s/n, Caixa Postal 560, 18618-681 Botucatu, SP, Brazil

Correspondence to: Ricardo de Oliveira Orsi E-mail: orsi@fmvz.unesp.br

SCIMAGO INSTITUTIONS RANKINGS

Figures | Tables

Figures (2)
Tables (3)

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Figure 1
Bee pollen in natura production averages, collected in different seasons by Apis mellifera L.

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Figure 2
Pollen grains found in bee pollen collected in different seasons: (a) Asteraceae sp.1; (b) Asteraceae sp.2; (c) Brassicaceae; (d) Combretaceae; (e) Euphorbiaceae; (f) Fabaceae sp.1; (g) Fabaceae sp.2; (h) Mimosaceae; (i) Poaceae sp.2; (j) Myrtaceae sp.2; (k) Myrtaceae sp.1; (l) Poaceae sp.1; (m) Salicaceae; (n) Urticaceae; (o) Pollen type 1; (p) Pollen type 2; (q) Pollen type 3.

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TABLE I
Botanical families found in bee pollen samples collected by Apis mellifer a in different seasons.

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TABLE II
Chemical composition of bee pollen collected by Apis mellifera in different seasons.

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TABLE III
Means (g 100g ^-1 ) and standard deviation of bee pollen amino acid composition collected by Apis mellifera in different seasons.

Figure 1 Bee pollen in natura production averages, collected in different seasons by Apis mellifera L.

Figure 2 Pollen grains found in bee pollen collected in different seasons: (a) Asteraceae sp.1; (b) Asteraceae sp.2; (c) Brassicaceae; (d) Combretaceae; (e) Euphorbiaceae; (f) Fabaceae sp.1; (g) Fabaceae sp.2; (h) Mimosaceae; (i) Poaceae sp.2; (j) Myrtaceae sp.2; (k) Myrtaceae sp.1; (l) Poaceae sp.1; (m) Salicaceae; (n) Urticaceae; (o) Pollen type 1; (p) Pollen type 2; (q) Pollen type 3.

TABLE I **Botanical families found in bee pollen samples collected by Apis mellifer a in different seasons.**

	Seasons
POLLEN TYPE (Family)	SPRING (Sep/Oct/Nov)	SUMMER (Dec/Jan/Feb)	AUTUMN (Mar/Apr/May)	WINTER (Jun/Jul/Aug)
Asteraceae sp. 1 Asteraceae sp. 2	IIP IIP	AP -	AP -	IIP IIP
Brassicaceae	IIP	-	-	-
Combretaceae	IIP	-	-	IIP
Euphorbiaceae	-	OIP	-	-
Fabaceae sp. 1 Fabaceae sp. 2	OIP -	- IIP	- OIP	- -
Mimosaceae	AP	AP	-	-
Myrtaceae sp. 1	AP	IIP	IIP	DP
Myrtaceae sp. 2 Poaceae sp. 1	- OIP	- IIP	- AP	IIP IIP
Poaceae sp. 2	AP	-	-	-
Salicaceae	-	-	OIP	-
Urticaceae	-	OIP	-	-
Pollen type 1	-	-	AP	OIP
Pollen type 2	-	OIP	-	-
Pollen type 3	IIP	-	-	OIP

Quantitative analysis by counting 300 pollen grains. Dominant Pollen (DP) - over 45% of total pollen sum; Accessory Pollen (AP) - 15 to 44%; Isolated Important Pollen (IIP) - 3 to 15% and Occasional Isolated Pollen (OIP) - less than 3%.

TABLE II **Chemical composition of bee pollen collected by Apis mellifera in different seasons.**

Seasons	CP (%)	LP (%)	Ashes (%)	Vitamin C (mg 100g^-1)	Flavonoids (μg 100g^-1)
SPRING (Sep. Oct. Nov.)	21.00±2.15b	4.62±2.26a	2.22±0.39b	0.90±0.32a	2219.26±1233.90b
SUMMER (Dec. Jan. Feb.)	20.92±1.94b	2.28±0.52b	2.45±0.19ab	0.87±0.13a	2460.18±1364.80ab
AUTUMN (Mar. Apr. May)	19.59±1.42b	2.45±0.74b	2.58±0.25a	0.93±0.18a	2058.07±1145.90b
WINTER (Jun. Jul. Aug.)	22.80±3.09a	3.54±0.75ab	2.56±0.27ab	1.06±0.21a	2789.87±1396.00a

Means and standard deviations of crude protein - CP, lipids - LP, ashes, vitamin C and total flavonoids (expressed in μg 100g^-1 rutin). Different lowercase letters, in the same column indicate differences between the means (ANOVA, Tukey’s test, P≤0.05).

TABLE III Means (g 100g ^-1 **) and standard deviation of bee pollen amino acid composition collected by Apis mellifera in different seasons.**

SEASONS
Amino acid (g/100g)	SPRING (Sep. Oct. Nov.)	SUMMER (Dec. Jan. Feb.)	AUTUMN (Mar. Apr. May)	WINTER (Jun. Jul. Aug.)
Alanine	0.949±0.29	1.154±0.05	0.978±0.03	0.922±0.14
Arginine	0.716±0.06	0.875±0.17	0.715±0.03	0.884±0.24
Aspartic Acid	1.554±0.22	1.607±0.10	1.401±0.00	1.660±0.21
Glutamic Acid	1.766±0.29	1.815±0.15	1.563±0.08	1.885±0.30
Cysteine	0.192±0.04	0.284±0.06	0.276±0.03	0.219±0.07
Phenylalanine	0.650±0.11	0.715±0.06	0.600±0.01	0.696±0.08
Glycine	0.772±0.15	0.833±0.05	0.712±0.00	0.799±0.12
Histidine	0.421±0.13	0.458±0.04	0.402±0.03	0.387±0.05
Isoleucine	0.627±0.18	0.717±0.07	0.567±0.02	0.671±0.04
Leucine	1.115±0.13	1.259±0.95	1.067±0.02	1.217±0.13
Lysine	1.112±0.36	1.169±0.01	0.978±0.03	1.065±0.21
Methionine	0.432±0.08	0.518±0.03	0.512±0.01	0.555±0.06
Proline	1.654±0.54	2.124±0.29	2.152±0.14	2.364±0.62
Serine	0.857±0.15	0.989±0.04	0.897±0.03	0.876±0.13
Tyrosine	0.386±0.04	0.463±0.15	0.400±0.00	0.428±0.01
Threonine	0.616±0.10	0.673±0.03	0.600±0.01	0.662±0.10
Tryptophan	0.198±0.02	0.213±0.00	0.178±0.00	0.212±0.01
Valine	0.670±0.13	0.842±0.12	0.676±0.02	0.752±0.09

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Harvesting Season and Botanical Origin Interferes in Production and Nutritional Composition of Bee Pollen

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[1] Correspondence to: Ricardo de Oliveira Orsi E-mail: orsi@fmvz.unesp.br