Vol. 52 No. 1 2008 Journal of Apicultural Science 8 POLLEN SPECTRUM OF RAPESEED HONEY FROM THE SANDOMIERSKA UPLAND AREA Ernest Stawiarz University of Life Sciences in Lublin, Department of Botany, Akademicka 15, 20-950 Lublin, Poland. E-mail: ernest.stawiarz@up.lublin.pl Received 18 April 2008; accepted 07 May 2008 S u m m a r y The objective of the study, carried out in the years 200-2005, were 26 samples of honeys originating from apiaries located in the area of the Sandomierska Upland. All the samples appeared to be specific rapeseed honeys consistent with the Polish Bee honey Standard. The analyzed material was found to contain pollen grains of 66 taxa, including 46 of nectariferous and 20 of non-nectariferous plants (anemophilous and entomophilus). The contribution of pollen from ranged from 47.6% to 94.%. In the group of secondary pollen (16% to 45%), pollen grains originated from Brassicaceae (others), Prunus type, Trifolium repens and Anthriscus type. The highest frequency, apart from, was reported for Brassicaceae (others) and Prunus type whose pollen grains were identified in all the analyzed samples. The contribution of pollen of non-nectariferous plants varied between 0.% and 50.0%. In that group, the highest frequency (65.4%) was demonstrated for Poaceae (others) and Quercus. Rapeseed honeys were characterized by a variety of colors, i.e. from very bright; almost white, to different hues of cream and light-amber. Their aroma resembled that of rapeseed flowers. Keywords: rapeseed honey, pollen analysis, Sandomierska Upland. INTRODUCTION Qualitative requirements of honeys have been collected and described in the Polish Standard PN-88/A-77626 Miód pszczeli (1988), which describes them as a natural product, produced by a honey bee from flower nectar and honey-dew. Specific nectar honeys covered in the standard include, among others, rapeseed honeys. The contribution of pollen from reaches at least 45%. In recent years, the International Honey Commission has elaborated the physicochemical parameters of 15 specific honeys acquired most frequently in Europe. They included rapeseed honeys (Persano Oddo and Piro 2004). These rapeseed honeys have aroused great interest among both, beekeepers and consumers. In Poland, melissopalynological analyses of rapeseed honeys have been carried out in the Warszawskie area (Poszwiñski and Warakomska 1969) and the Marshland area of the Vistula river and the Mazowiecka Land (Demianowicz et al. 1981) as well as in the region of Lubelszczyzna (Lecewicz 1984). Such honeys were also acquired in the area of South Podlasie (Wróblewska 2002) and Suwalszczyzna (Wróblewska et al. 2006). The production of rapeseed honey in other European countries has been described by de Boer (19), Zander (195, 197), Lunder (1945), Maurizio (1949), Louveaux (1957), Wille et al. (1990), Hedtke (1996) as well as Perez-Arquillue et al. (1995). The objective of the present study was to determine the pollen composition of honey samples declared by beekeepers as
84 rapeseed and multi-flower honeys. The results to be obtained, will also provide information on the areas of rapeseed honey production in the Sandomierska Upland. MATERIAL AND METHODS The object of the study were 26 samples of honey obtained in the years 200-2005 from apiaries located in the area of the Sandomierska Upland. The apiaries were situated in 19 localities and 9 different districts. From 1 to 4 honey samples were obtained from each of the localities and from 1 to 8 samples were collected from each of the districts (Table 1). Of all collected honeys; 22 were declared by producers as specific rapeseed honeys, and 4 as multi-floral honeys. For most of the sampled material, the beekeepers determined the term of honey extraction from a hive. Beekeepers identified some plants blooming in the vicinity of the apiary that could be a source of nectar flow to bees. The data were useful in the microscopic analysis of the experimental material. Colors of the honeys were determined with the use of Maerz and Paul (1950) Dictionary of Color. The honeys were also evaluated for their aroma. A microscopic analysis of pollen was conducted following recommendations of the International Commission of Bee Botany (Louveaux et al. 1978) and Polish Standard PN-88/A-77626 Miód pszczeli (1988). Glycerol-gelatin preparations were prepared in duplicate from precipitates of particular samples. Next, following recommendations of Moar (1985), at least 00 pollen grains were counted in each preparation. Attempts were made to classify the pollen grains to the closest Table 1 Localities of the collection of Sandomierska Upland honey samples. No. District Locality Number of samples from Locality District 1 Baækowice Olszownica 1 1 2 Dwikozy Dwikozy 1 1 Iwaniska 1 Iwaniska 4 Myd³ów 2 5 Go³êbiów 1 6 Kaczyce 1 Lipnik 7 Kurów 2 8 8 W³ostów 4 9 Marcinkowice 1 10 Nikisia³ka Du a 1 Opatów 11 Opatów 1 6 12 Rosochy 1 1 O arów O arów 2 14 Szczucice 1 15 Sadowie Zochcinek 1 16 Sadowie 1 17 Kaliszany 1 Wojciechowice 18 ukawka 1 2 19 Zawichost Zawichost 2 2 Total 9 19 26 26
Vol. 52 No. 1 2008 Journal of Apicultural Science 85 possible taxon (species, genus, type of structure or family) using Zander s classification (195, 197). In the microscopic analysis of pollen, the comparative preparations and available atlases were used (Zander 195, 197, Hodges 1952, Sawyer 1981, 1988, Ricciardelli d Albore 1998, Bucher et al. 2004). In the evaluation of botanical origin and specific characteristics of honeys, grains of pollen from non-nectariferous plants (entomophilus and anemophilous) were counted out in samples. Amongst pollen grains of nectariferous plants there were 4 categories of pollen discriminated: dominant >45%, secondary 16-45%, important minor pollen -16%, and minor pollen <%. Table 2 Pollen contribution of important nectariferous plants in the examined honeys. Year 200 2004 2005 Pollen participation of plant Sample nectariferous Colour of honey No. non-nectariferous in one dominant pollen >45% (Maerz & Paul 1950) sample secondary pollen 16-45% 1 86.5 1.5 11/D-2 2 64.5 6.7 62.9 9/E-2 50.0 Brassicaceae (others) 17.4 1 70.6 6.8 9/G- 2 94..0 10/G- 51.4 Prunus type 20.7.2 10/D-2 4 64.4 Brassicaceae (others) 22.8 6.5 10/B-1 47.6 5 Trifolium repens 22.8 5.6 9/D-2 Brassicaceae (others) 16.6 6 87.8 0. 7 77.4 1.1 10/D-2 8 55.7 4.8 9 5.0 Anthriscus type 21.4 1.6 11/G-6 10 75.9 2.7 11/F- 11 66.9 0.6 11/G- 12 78.4 9.1 10/J- 1 78.8 2.7 10/F- 2 71.8 9.1 9/D-2 70.7 7.8 10/H-5 4 81.7 0.5 10/E-2 5 67.7 0.7 10/F- 6 76.6 1.1 7 78.2 1.4 10/E-2 8 7.1 2.7 9/D-2 9 67.4 5.4 10/F- 10 89.9.9 10/E-2 11 61.6 6.6
86 Brassicaceae (others) Prunus type Aesculus Rubus type Salix Trifoliumrepens Anthriscustype Taraxacumtype Frangulaalnus Caryophyllaceae Robinia pseudacacia Solidago type Malus type Acer Tilia Trifoliumpratense Achilleatype Centaurea cyanus Phacelia Verbascum Viola tricolor type Calluna Heracleumtype Cirsiumtype Fagopyrum Lamiumtype Ribes Crataegus Galeopsis Melilotus Sinapis alba Vicia type Alliumtype Campanulaceae Cerinthe Convolvulusarvensis Helianthus type Ligustrum Lotus Medicago Parthenocissus Phaseolus Polygonumbistorta Sedum Vaccinium 0 10 20 0 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 participationof pollen- dominant>45% secondary16-45% important minor-16% minorpollen<% Fig 1. Pollen frequency of nectariferous plants and its participation in examined honeys (%)
Vol. 52 No. 1 2008 Journal of Apicultural Science 87 RESULTS Based on the microscopic analysis of pollen, all samples were recognized as specific rapeseed honeys. The contribution of pollen (ranging from 47.6% to 94.%) and organoleptic non-nectariferous plants. In the group of secondary pollen (contribution ranging from 16% to 45%) there were only 4 taxa, i.e. Brassicaceae (others), Prunus type, Trifolium repens and Anthriscus type (Table 2, Fig. 1). In the analyzed honey, apart from (/0) (6/04) (6/05) (8/05) Phot. 1. A microscopic view of selected rapeseed honeys. B. nap, Pi Pinus, Pr Prunus type, (Sample No. / Year). properties of the honey were consistent with requirements of the Polish Standard PN-88/A-77626 Miód pszczeli (Table 2). Pollen grains of the examined material were identified as belonging to 66 taxa, including 46 originating from nectariferous and 20 from non-nectariferous plants. One sample was found to contain pollen grains of 11 to 2 taxa, including 7-20 ones from nectariferous and 1-12 others from, the highest frequency was reported for Brassicaceae (others) and Prunus type pollen grains, which were present in all samples. A high frequency (from 50% to 95%) was also recorded for: Aesculus, Rubus type, Salix, Trifolium repens, Anthriscus type and Taraxacum type. In addition, 7 other taxa were identified, yet their contribution did not exceed 50% (Fig. 1).
88 The contribution of pollen from non-nectariferous plants was diversified. It ranged from 0.% to 9.1% in particular samples (Table 2). Only in the sample from Kaliszany, Wojciechowice District reached 50%. The sample was found to contain numerous pollen grains of Papaver. In that group of pollen, the highest frequency (65.4%) was demonstrated for Poaceae (others) and Quercus. In the frequency range of 0% to 60%, taxa were identified: Pinus, Fragaria and Ranunculus. Rapeseed honeys were characterized by a variety of colors. They varied from very bright; almost white, to different hues of cream to light-amber. Their aroma resembled the aroma of rapeseed flowers. A fragment of a microscopic view of selected honey samples is presented in Photo 1. DISCUSSION Plants of the family Brassicaceae are known as a very valuable source of nectar and pollen flow. Their species include both, farm crops as well as plants occurring in natural habitats (Demianowicz et al. 1960, 196, Jab³oñski et al. 1999, Warakomska 1999, Denisow 2004). In Poland, their most valuable species include and Sinapis alba (Maksymiuk 1958, Demianowicz 1968, Jab³oñski et al. 1999). In the area of the Sandomierska Upland, the crop of covers close stands (often of several hectares) used by honeybees as a source of early flow. The cropping area of rapeseed in the Œwiêtokrzyskie Province reaches from 2,00 to 2,600 ha (Statistical Office of Kielce 200). Under favorable weather conditions, the honey yield of this species may range from 40 to 240 kg per ha (Demianowicz et al. 1960, Ko³towski 2001, 2002). Rapeseed honeys are highly popular in south-eastern Europe. They are also produced in Scandinavia, North America and China (Persano Oddo and Piro 2004, Persano Oddo et al. 2004). The rapeseed honeys collected in the area of the Sandomierska Upland originated from 9 districts, including Lipnik, Opatów, Iwaniska, Sadowie and Wojciechowice. The Sandmierska Upland turned out to be the major area of rapeseed honey production. The contribution of pollen in those honeys ranged from 47.6% to 94.%. The highest frequency (100%), apart from Brassica napus, was also reported for Brassicaceae (others) and the Prunus type. In Poland, studies of rapeseed honeys have been conducted by Poszwiñski and Warakomska (1969). In the material from 20 samples of pollen originating from the Warszawskie Province, the contribution of pollen fluctuated between 62% and 9%. In the group of secondary taxa, these authors identified grains of pollen from willow, horse-chestnut and fruit trees. Demianowicz et al. (1981) analyzed rapeseed honeys in the Marshland area of the Vistula river, and Mazowiecka Land. The contribution of pollen from Brassica napus ranged from 0% to 92%. In the region of Lubelszczyzna, specific rapeseed honeys were described by Lecewicz (1984). The author emphasized the high degree of their contamination with their own pollen - from 72.2% to 95.2%. Rapeseed honeys were also analyzed by Wróblewska (2002) who elaborated honeybee flows in the Podlasie region. The contribution of pollen in their sediment ranged from 48.0% to 82.5%. Specific honeys from Brassicaceae collected in the area of north-eastern Poland were described by Wróblewska et al. (2006). The authors collected 7 honeys of that species, in which the
Vol. 52 No. 1 2008 Journal of Apicultural Science 89 contribution of Brassicaceae pollen varied between 47.0% and 90.0%. Rapeseed honeys have also been described in the area of Denmark (de Boer 19), France (Louveaux 1957), Germany (Zander 195, 197, Wille et al. 1990, Hedtke 1996), Sweden (Lunder 1945), Switzerland (Maurizio 1949), Spain (Perez-Arquillue et al. 1995), and Chile (Horn and Aira 1997). Very high contamination, reaching nearly 100%, has been demonstrated by Lunder (1945) and Zander (195, 197). In contrast, Maurizio (1949, 1959-1960) claimed that most of rapeseed honeys are characterized by a small contribution of pollen from. That author suggested that contamination was affected by the geographical origin of honey. Variability of honey contamination with pollen of, depending on the status of a colony and conditions of an apiary, has been emphasized by Demianowicz and Warakomska (1977). CONCLUSSIONS 1. The pollen grains identified in the microscopic analisis of examined honeys belonged to 66 taxa. 2. The contribution of pollen from in the examined honeys ranged from 47.6% to 94.%.. The major production areas of rapeseed honeys in the Sandomierska Upland were the districts of Lipnik, Opatów, Iwaniska, Sadowie and Wojciechowice. REFERENCES Boer H. W. de. (19) Het verbant tusschen de chemische samenstelling en de botanischeherkomst von in Nederland gewonnen honig. Chem. Weekbald., 0: 401. Bucher E., Kofler V., Vorwohl G., Zieger E. (2004) Das Pollenbild der Südtirolen Honige. Biologisches Labor der Landesagentur für Umwelt und Arbeitsschutz. Leifers. Demianowicz Z. (1968) Biologia kwitnienia i nektarowanie 5 odmian rzepaku ozimego. Ann. UMCS Lublin Polonia, Sec. E, 2 (19): 241-26. Demianowicz Z., Warakomska Z. (1977) Influence de la population de la ruche sur le spectre pollinique du miel de colza. Symp. Int. de la Flore Mellifère, Budapest, 14-18 IX 1976, Apimondia, Bucarest: 20-211. Demianowicz Z., H³yñ M., Jab³oñski B., Maksymiuk I., Podgórska J., Ruszkowska B., Szklanowska K., Zimna J. (1960) Wydajnoœæ miodowa wa niejszych roœlin miododajnych w warunkach Polski. Cz. I. Pszczeln. Zesz. Nauk., 4 (2). Demianowicz Z., Jab³oñski B., Ostrowska W., Szybowski S. (196) Wydajnoœæ miodowa wa niejszych roœlin miododajnych w warunkach Polski. Cz. II. Pszczeln. Zesz. Nauk., 7 (2): 95-111. Demianowicz Z., Lecewicz W., Warakomska Z. (1981) Miody rzepakowe u³aw Wis³y i Krainy Mazowieckiej. Pszczeln. Zesz. Nauk., 25: 155-162. Denisow B. (2004) Dynamic of blooming and insect visits on several (Brassicaceae = Cruciferae Jass.) species. J. apic. Sci., 48 (2): 1-21. Hedtke C. (1996) Pollen spectrum of honeys in Brandenburg. Pszczeln. Zesz. Nauk., 40 (2): 257-258. Hodges D. (1952) The pollen loads of the honeybee, IBRA, London. Horn H., Aira M. J. (1997) Pollen analysis of honeys from the Los Lagos region of southern Chile. Grana, 6 (): 160-168. Jab³oñski B., Ko³towski Z., Szklanowska K. (1999) Wartoœæ pszczelarska i potrzeby zapylania gorczycy bia³ej oraz rzepaku i rzepiku jarego. Pszczeln. Zesz. Nauk., 4: 255-261.
90 Ko³towski Z. (2001) Beekeeping value and pollination requirements of double-improved cultivars of spring rapeseed ( L. var. oleifera Metzger f. annua Thell.). J. apic. Sci., 45: 69-84. Ko³towski Z. (2002) Beekeeping value of recently cultivated winter rapeseed cultivars. J. apic. Sci., 46 (2): 2-. Lecewicz W. (1984) Miody odmianowe najczêœciej wystêpuj¹ce w po³udniowej czêœci Lubelszczyzny. Pszczeln. Zesz. Nauk., 25: 155-168. Louveaux J. (195) Le Colza Botanique Apicole. L Apiculteur, 4: 1-6. Louveaux J., Maurizio A., Vorwohl G. (1978) Methods of Melissopalynology. Bee World, 59 (4): 19-157. Lunder R. (1945) Pollenanalistika undersökningar av Svensk honung. States Växtskyddsanstalt Meddlande, Stockholm, 45: 1-1. Maerz A., Paul M. (1950) A dictionary of color. McGraw-Hill Co., New York-Toronto-London. Maksymiuk I. (1958) Nektarowanie rzepaku ozimego. Pszczeln. Zesz. Nauk., 2 (2): 49-54. Maurizio A. (1949) Pollenanalytische Untersuchungen an Honig und Pollenhöschen. Beih. zur Schweiz. Bienenztg., 2 (18): 19-455. Maurizio A. (1959-1960) Blüte, Nektar, Pollen, Honig. Broschüre, Verlag der D. Bienenwirtsch., München. Moar N. T. (1985) Pollen analysis of New Zealand honey. N.Z.J. Agric. Res., 28: 9-70. Perez-Arquillue C., Conchello P., Arino A., Juan T., Herrera A. (1995) Physicochemical attributes and pollen spectrum of some unifloral Spanish honeys. Food Chemistry, 54 (2): 167-172. Persano Oddo L., Piro R. (2004) Main European unifloral honeys: descriptive sheets. Apidologie, 5: 8-81. Persano Oddo L., Piana L., Bogdanov S., Bentabol A., Gotsiou P., Kerkvliet J., Martin P., Morlot M., Ortiz-Valbuena A., Ruoff K., Ohe von der K. (2004) Botanical species giving unifloral honey in Europe. Apidologie, 5: 82-9. Polska Norma, Miód pszczeli. (1988) Wydanie Normalizacyjne, PN-88/A-77626. Poszwiñski L., Warakomska Z. (1969) Analiza py³kowa miodów rzepakowych i wrzosowych województwa warszawskiego. Pszczeln. Zesz. Nauk., 1 (1-2-): 147-157. Ricciardelli d Albore G. (1998) Mediterranean melissopalynology. Ed. Univ. degli studi di Perugia, Fac. di Agraria, Perugia. Sawyer R. (1981) Pollen identification for beekeepers. Ed. R.S. Pickard, Univ. College Cardiff Press. Sawyer R. (1988) Honey identification. Cardiff Acad. Press, Wales, UK. Urz¹d Statystyczny w Kielcach. (200) U ytkowanie gruntów, powierzchnia zasiewów i pog³owie zwierz¹t gospodarskich. Województwo œwiêtokrzyskie. Zak³ad Wydawnictw Statystycznych, Zak³ad Poligraficzny nr. 2 w Radomiu. Warakomska Z. (1999) Roœliny ogrodowe i ruderalne Pu³aw w obrazie py³kowym obnó y pszczelich. Bibl. Fragm. Agron., 6: 17-144. Wille H., Wille M., Bogdanov S. (1990) Pollenanalytische Untersuchungen an Sortenhonigen. Teil 2: Melissopalynologische Ergebnisse und Diskussion. Mitteilungen der Section Bienen, Forschungsanstalt für Milchwirtschaft, Liebefeld, 5:26. Wróblewska A. (2002) Roœliny po ytkowe Podlasia w œwietle analizy py³kowej produktów pszczelich. Wyd. AR w Lublinie, Zesz. 264: 1-8. Wróblewska A., Warakomska Z., Koter M. (2006) Pollen analysis of bee products from the north-eastern Poland. J. apic. Sci., 50 (1): 71-8.
Vol. 52 No. 1 2008 Journal of Apicultural Science 91 Zander E. (195, 197) Beiträge zur Herkunftsbestimmung bei Honig. I Reichsfachgrupp Imker, Berlin; II Liedloff, Loth & Michaelis, Leipzig. SPEKTRUM PY KOWE MIODÓW RZEPAKOWYCH WY YNY SANDOMIERSKIEJ Stawiarz E. Obiektem badañ w latach 200-2005 by³o 26 próbek miodów z pasiek rozmieszczonych na terenie Wy yny Sandomierskiej. Wszystkie próbki okaza³y siê odmianowymi miodami rzepakowymi zgodnymi z Polsk¹ Norm¹ Miód pszczeli. W analizowanych materiale zidentyfikowano ziarna py³ku 66 taksonów, w tym 46 nektarodajnych i 20 nienektarodajnych (wiatropylnych i owadopylnych). Udzia³ py³ku zawiera³ siê w granicach od 47,6% do 94,%. W grupie py³ku o udziale towarzysz¹cym (od 16% do 45%) notowano Brassicaceae (inne), Prunus typ, Trifolium repens i Anthriscus typ. Najwy sz¹ frekwencj¹ wyró ni³y siê oprócz, Brassicaceae (inne) oraz Prunus typ, których ziarna py³ku by³y obecne we wszystkich analizowanych próbkach. Udzia³ py³ku roœlin nienektarodajnych zawiera³ siê w przedziale od 0,% do 50,0%. Najwy sz¹ frekwencjê (65,4%) wykaza³y w tej grupie Poaceae (inne) i Quercus. Miody rzepakowe wyró nia³y siê barw¹ od bardzo jasnej, prawie bia³ej, do ró nych odcieni kremowej i jasnobursztynowej. Ich aromat przypomina³ zapach kwiatów rzepaku. S³owa kluczowe: : miody rzepakowe, analiza py³kowa, Wy yna Sandomierska.