MINI-EXPERIMENT IN BREEDING: GENOTYPING OF APIS MELLIFERA L. COLONIES BY TWO TRAITS
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31861/biosystems2025.01.036Keywords:
honey bee, drones, worker bees, genome, chromosomal sets, classical wing morphometry, morphometric templates, economically valuable traits, analysis of variance, discriminant analysis, A.m.carnicaAbstract
Between 2020 and 2023, a planned study was conducted on a single apiary (Ukraine, Lviv region) consisting of 50 honey bee subspecies A.m.carnica colonies. Due to insufficient isolation of the apiary from the influence of foreign drones, the work in 2020–2021 focused on achieving a more stable and homogeneous drone background. As a result, by early 2023, two groups of analogous colonies were established, whose queens were sisters. Identifying the subspecies and population affiliation of the chromosomal sets of these queens was performed using morphometric templates for drone wings. Based on comparing wing phenotypes with the templates, the probable affiliation of the queens’ genomes to the local “Carnica” population and the Peschetz line was established. During the 2023 season, 17 colonies were tested for two economically valuable traits: flight activity and gentleness. Variance analysis revealed relationships between queen genome composition, environmental factors (weather, nectar availability), and key traits (gentleness, flight activity). The statistical reliability of the results is limited due to the small sample size. However, the observed trends allow for specific recommendations regarding the further use of colonies whose genomic composition and probable chromosomal set affiliations have been established. This approach is recommended as an additional tool to enhance the effectiveness of selective breeding.
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