Pollen harvest for Apis mellifera L. in the northwest of Córdoba (Argentina).

FAGÚNDEZ, G.; VECA, M. Y COSSUTTA, E.

Buenos Aires

Congreso; 42º Congreso Internacional de Apicultura. Apimondia; 2011

Apimondia- SADA

POLLEN HARVEST FOR APIS MELLIFERA L. IN THE NORTHWEST OF CORDOBA (ARGENTINA)* Fagúndez, G.1; Veca, M.2; Cossuta, E3. 1Laboratory of Modern Palynology. CICyTTP-CONICET/FCyT-UADER ? Dr. Materi y España, E3105BWA Diamante, Entre Ríos, Argentina. Tel/fax: ++54 343 4983086/7 E-mail: guillermina_fagundez@yahoo.com.ar 2 Private Consultant ? Milano, Italy. 3 Private Consultant ? Deán Funes, Córdoba, Argentina. *Partially supported by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and the Italian Cooperation Office.   The vegetation of the study area is characterized by dry forest from 8 to 15 m tall, dominated by Aspidosperma quebracho blanco, with various species of Prosopis, Ziziphus mistol, Cercidium praecox and other trees and shrubs of smaller size. The Ischilín department's northcentral is an important polliniferous region of the country, together with other whose vegetation is dominated for trees and shrubs, slightly displaced with respect to traditional beekeeping areas, coinciding with the current movement of beekeeping of the Pampa Argentina to native forests. The purpose of this study was to analyze the amount of pollen harvested in the region and the contribution of species to assess the production of pollen as an alternative to diversify production for regional beekeeping. This activity in the region is restricted to a short period due to low rainfall. Harvests were carried out by fighter-pollen traps conventional in 5 hives / apiary in 4 different apiary in a weekly frequency for 2 months (18/10 - 11/12), coinciding with the period of greatest gathering of the region. The results show high values of daily harvest per hive (45-435 g), with an average of 170 g, being the highest recorded for Argentina. The analysis of the diversity of species harvested is performed in only one apiary, identifying 13 types of pollen. The main species collected, with values higher than 3% were Prosopis spp. Brassicaceae, Larrea divaricata, Schinus sp. and Acacia aroma. The first three were the main resource, contributing between 96 to 100% of the daily harvest.