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Ecological Maturity of Land-Use Systems Shapes Honey Nutritional and Phytochemical Quality: A Comparative Study of Agroforestry and Bush Fallow Landscapes
Abstract
This study evaluated how land-use type and vegetation maturity influence the nutritional and phytochemical quality of honey produced in southeastern Nigeria. Honey samples were harvested from a long-term (>30-year) multifloral agroforestry system and a 5-year bush fallow system in Ikwuano, Abia State. Standard analytical procedures were used to determine proximate composition, mineral and vitamin contents, and phytochemical profiles, while independent-sample t-tests assessed differences between land-use systems. Results showed no significant differences (P>0.05) in proximate composition between the two systems. Moisture content was 16.33±0.13% (agroforestry) and 17.08±0.03% (bush fallow), ash 0.68±0.03% and 0.50±0.05%, carbohydrate 81.78% and 81.49%, and energy values 332.43±0.48 and 330.45kcal/100g, respectively, with crude fiber absent in both honey types. Significant variations (P<0.05) were observed in micronutrients and phytochemicals. Agroforestry honey contained higher magnesium (3.79 vs 3.09mg/100g) and potassium (52.59 vs 49.54mg/100g), as well as higher antioxidant vitamins A (16.87 vs 14.47mg/100g), C (9.90 vs 7.85mg/100g), and E (1.03 vs 0.82 mg/100 g). In contrast, bush fallow honey showed higher sodium (2.62 vs 1.99mg/100g) and phosphorus (8.23 vs 6.71mg/100g). Phytochemical analysis further revealed markedly higher levels in agroforestry honey, including flavonoids (31.13 vs 26.45mg/100g), tannins (7.44 vs 4.74mg/100g), alkaloids (10.11 vs 8.38mg/100g), saponins (11.37 vs 7.87mg/100g), terpenes (6.66 vs 4.26mg/100g), and anthraquinones (3.29 vs 2.14mg/100g). Both honey types were free from hydrogen cyanide and oxalates, confirming their safety for consumption. Overall, ecological maturity and vegetation complexity significantly enhance honey micronutrient density and phytochemical richness without altering basic nutritional composition. Mature agroforestry systems, characterized by higher plant diversity and structural stability, produce honey with superior functional and nutritional attributes compared to early-successional bush fallow systems. These findings highlight the importance of integrating apiculture into agroforestry landscapes to improve honey quality, support pollinator health, and strengthen rural livelihoods.
