The phenotypic variability of Apis mellifera drones in apiaries of the northern part of Bashkortostan

• Main Authors: M.R. Sabirdjhonova, V.N. Sattarov
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Penza State University Publishing House 2021-07-01
• Series: Известия высших учебных заведений. Поволжский регион: Естественные науки
• Subjects: drone; honey bee; phenotype; northern forest-steppe zone; republic of bashkortostan

Background. On the territory of the Republic of Bashkortostan one of the preserved localities of honeybees of the Central Russian subspecies is the Burzyan population, and the territory on which it is located can be recognized as a refugium for this subspecies of bees. At the same time, according to a number of scientists, in addition to the Burzyan population, the Tatyshlinsky, Askinskaya and Baltachevskaya populations of this subspecies of bees have been preserved in the Republic of Bashkortostan, which may form the North Bashkir subpopulation Apis mellifera. We studied the phenotypic structure of drones in apiaries that make up this subpopulation. Materials and methods. The work was carried out in 2017–2020 on the basis of the Department of Bioecology and Biological Education of the Bashkir State Pedagogical University named after M. Akmulla. The object of the research was drones of honey bees Apis mellifera. The sample for selection from one family was 20 drones each. Samples were collected in apiaries of 10 administrative districts of the northern forest-steppe zone of the Republic of Bashkortostan from 855 bee families (17 700 drones): Askin, Baltachevsky, Buraevsky, Kaltasinsky, Karaidelsky, Krasnokamsky, Mishkinsky, Nurimanovsky, Tatyshlinsky and Yanaulsky. The method of F. Ruttner on the assessment of morphotypes and the width of the hair border on the abdomen of drones was used. The studies were carried out on dry samples of bees. Results. Detailed studies on the phenotypic structure of honeybee drones in apiaries of the northern foreststeppe zone of the Republic of Bashkortostan revealed the presence of three types of phenotypes: O – dark cuticle (brown-coffee), Is – a wide saddle – shaped stripe (black-smoky), 2R – two yellow rings on the cuticle (brown-coffee). At the same time, all identified morphotypes (O, Is, 2R) were characterized by the presence of hair color on the abdomen corresponding to the standard of bees of the Central Russian subspecies (Apis mellifera mellifera). Conclusions. Taking into account the haploidy of drones, the identified individuals, taxonomically corresponding to the Central Russian subspecies, indicate the presence of purebred queen bees in the families. These data indicate the biological potential of the honey bee population in the northern forest-steppe zone of the Republic of Bashkortostan as a reserve of the Central Russian subspecies.