Abstract

PARRA, GUIOMAR NATES et al. Geographical and Botanical Origin of Apis mellifera (APIDAE) Honey in four Colombian Departments. Acta biol.Colomb. [online]. 2013, vol.18, n.3, pp.427-438. ISSN 0120-548X.

The aim of this work was to find palynological markers which permit differentiate honeys from the departments of Boyacá, Cundinamarca, Santander and Magdalena, by its geographical and botanical origin. Melissopalynological analyses were made of 184 honey samples obtained from 131 localities. A discriminant analysis and comparisons between the species composition of honey samples were made to find geographical and botanical origin differences. A total of 297 pollen species distributed in 69 families was found, being Mimosa sp., Cecropiasp., Eucalyptus sp., Piper sp. and Quercus humboldtii the most representatives. The major families were Fabaceae, Asteraceae, Myrtaceae, Rubiaceae, Fagaceae and Melastomataceae. Six honey groups differentiated by its geographical origin were found: Altiplano Cundiboyacense, Medio Chicamocha, Sumapaz, Bajo Chicamocha, Sierra Nevada de Santa Marta and Comunera Province. In a broader scale, honeys from the Andean and sub-Andean regions could be differentiated as well. Between the honey types differentiated by its botanical origin, the most important were monofloral honeys of Trifolium Pratense, Coffeaarabica, Eucalyptus sp., Inga sp. and Heliocarpus americanus, Asteraceae oligofloral honeys and mixtures of Q. humboldtii honeydew and floral nectar (Eucalyptus sp., Brassicaceae Type, Asteraceae). This information in addition to the obtained by physicochemical and sensorial analysis, may be the basis to acquire honeys´ origin denomination.

Keywords : bees; beekeeping; melissopalinology; nectar; pollen.

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