Melıssopalynologıcal study of Apıs Mellıfera L. honey sourced from dıfferent localıtıes in the mıddle belt of Nıgerıa

Abstract

Melissopalynological studies are useful to determine the floral contents and geographical origin of honey samples. The great diversity of plants allows bees to produce honey that is highly valuable to the consumers. This study was aimed to determine pollen types in honey samples collected from the Middle Belt region to provide information on botanical origin of honeys. Six honey samples were collected from Benue and Kogi States in North Central, Nigeria. According to their pollen spectra, they were multiflora honeys. The honey samples collected from Benue State had a total pollen count of 8, 932, thirty nine pollen types in twenty five (25) families of plant and samples from Kogi State recorded 3,859 pollen, 29 pollen types in nineteen 19 plant families.   A total of thirteen pollen types were identified to generic level, fifteen to species  and nine to family level in honey samples collected from Benue State whereas in Kogi State samples, eleven pollen types were identified to generic level, eight  to species and nine to family level. The major pollen types in Benue honey samples were Sarcocephalus latifolius , Phyllanthus sp., Lannea sp., Hymenocardia acida, Syzygium guineense, Solanum sp., Parkia biglobosa, members of Anacardiaceae, Combretaceae/Melastomataceae, Euphorbiaceae and Sapindaceae whereas Hymenocardia acida, Elaeis guineensis, Solanum sp., Cassia sp., Sarcocephalus latifolius, members of Combretaeaeceae/Melastomataceae and Fabaceae were dominant in samples from Kogi State. The pollen analyses provided important information on the floral source preferences of bees and on honey contents, which can be used by traditional beekeepers and the public in general in promoting the production and consumption of high quality honey in the Middle Belt region of Nigeria.