Sesame Sesamum indicum L. (Pedaliaceae): Foraging Behavior of Honeybees Apis mellifera L. and Physicochemical Properties of Honey

Badawy, W.; Taha, R. A.

doi:10.21608/jppp.2018.43735

Sesame Sesamum indicum L. (Pedaliaceae): Foraging Behavior of Honeybees Apis mellifera L. and Physicochemical Properties of Honey

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

W. Badawy ¹
R. A. Taha ²

¹ Food Technology Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Kafr El-Sheikh University, Kafrelsheikh, Egypt.

² Honeybee Research Section, Plant Protection Research Institute, Agricultural Research Center, Dokki, Giza, Egypt.

10.21608/jppp.2018.43735

Abstract

A study of foraging behavior of honeybees, Apis mellifera L. on sesame, Sesamum indicum L. (Pedaliaceae) was conducted in Motobes district, Kafrelsheikh Province during July-August of 2016 and 2017. Also, the study aimed to ivestigate the foraging behavior of honeybees on sesame flowers and the physicochemical characteristics and mineral contents of sesame honey were determined. Sesame plants start to bloom in the 1^st week of July and continues until the end of August during the two seasons. Workers of honeybees started to forage on sesame flowers after 0600 hrs, gradually increased until formed peak at 0900 and 1000 hrs, then gradually decreased and ceased at 1800 hrs. The maximum amounts of trapped sesame pollen/colony/hr were recorded at 0900 and1000 hrs. Sesame honey was characterized by high contents of fructose, glucose, maltose, K, Na, Ca, and P. It can be concluded that beekeepers can obtain good honey yield and/or trapped pollen loads from sesame during July and August. The component of sesame honey was found to be within the range of the required standards according to the international regulations of quality.

Keywords