Relación de la vegetación y análisis de calidad (humedad y azúcares totales) de la miel producida por apis mellifera l. (apidae) en el Sur del municipio de Toledo, Norte de Santander, Colombia.

Abstract

This project was carried out in the south of Toledo Norte de Santander, Colombia, in patches of humid tropical forest; in November 2020, January 2021, and March 2021, in order to relate flowering times of woody and herbaceous vegetation with honey quality parameters (humidity, total sugars) produced by Apis mellifera L. (Apidae) in 4 apiaries. For the study, 10 transects were established in the beekeeping influence zone of 50 m x 4m; collecting 1032 individuals distributed in 92 families, 297 genera, 411 species, of which 337 individuals were flowered among arboreal, climbing, herbaceous and shrubs belonging to 71 families. Diversity values varied between samplings; for sample 1, the families with the highest richness were: Melastomataceae with 41 species (16.07%), Araceae 21 species (11.27%); sampling 2 and 3 was carried out only collecting flowering plants; sample 2, Melastomataceae 7 species (18.3%) Rubiaceae 3 species (15%), Asteraceae 3 species (11.6%), sample 3: Melastomataceae 8 species (38.78%), Rubiaceae 3 species (15.21 %), Asteraceae 3 species (15.21%). During the three honey samples, 337 individuals with flowers were found among arboreal, climbing, herbaceous and shrubs belonging to 71 families, which could possibly be considered as apicultural vegetation. Likewise, DAP measurements were made of trees found in the transects, finding that 78.3% of them measure less than 22 cm (DAP) which indicates that the forests are in a regeneration state. The quality parameters: humidity and total sugars (° Brix) of the honey collected in 4 apiaries near the vegetation transects (12 samples in total), were determined using a manual refractometer brand Meopta, obtaining a humidity percentage between 20% to 23% for samples 1 and 2; for sample 3 (rainy season), the humidity percentage was between 27.5% to 29.5%. The total sugar content of the honeys ranged from 75.7 to 78.5 ° Brix. To establish the relationship of the honey parameters with the vegetation, the flowering species that Apis mellifera visited, were determined through a photographic record, obtaining as a result that 24 species were identified, which belong to 16 families that are distributed in the different established transects.