AGRO - KNOWLEDGE JOURNAL

Significance of the apiary location for the content of copper and zinc in the bee pollen

2024-05-13T12:29:51+02:00

Bee pollen is one of the most valuable direct products of honey bees. Bees as well as humans use pollen in their nutrition as a high-quality supplement. Therefore, information about the mineral content of pollen is valuable. The aim of this study was to determine the amounts of copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn) in the bee pollen collected from the three locations (Kozarska Dubica, Petrovo, and Srbac). Quantification of copper and zinc was done by atomic absorption spectrophotometry after acid digestion (HNO3+HClO4) of pollen. The highest contents of both elements were found in the bee pollen from Kozarska Dubica (8.41 mg Cu/kg, 29.52 mg Zn/kg). The lowest Cu content was found in the samples from Petrovo (6.19 mg/kg), while the lowest Zn content was determined in the pollen from Srbac (22.06 mg/kg). Additionally, there were statistically significant differences in the content of both elements between pollen originating from different locations. As the location of the apiary was mainly determined by its proximity to potential sources of metal contamination, botanical origin of pollen and technology of pollen collection, it is important to investigate their impact in more detail on the elemental content of pollen in the future.

The influence of humus extract on the quality of raspberry (Rubus idaeus L.)

2024-05-13T12:34:56+02:00

This paper analyzes the influence of foliar fertilizer based on humus extract on some of the elements central to the quality of the Polka raspberry variety in the area of the city of Bihać. The research was conducted in 2015 according to the control and treatment system. A foliar fertilizer based on humus extract was used for the treatment. A total of 12 quantitative and qualitative properties were analyzed: content of total sugars, reducing sugars, invert sugars, sucrose, water content, dry matter, total acidity, vitamin C, total phenols, total flavonoids, antioxidant capacity, and fruit mass. After the analyses were completed, it can be concluded that fruits of raspberry plants treated with humus extract have an almost identical value of total acidity (1.65%) as found in control. However, treatment with a humus extract slightly lowered the content of total phenols and vitamin C. Based on the results obtained, it was shown that the foliar fertilizer based on the humus extract did not have a positive effect on certain chemical and antioxidant properties of the raspberry fruit.

The influence of geographical area on morphometric parameters of the honey bee in Serbia

2024-05-13T12:38:05+02:00

In this study, morphological characteristics were measured on worker honey bee samples collected from seven different locations covering the territory of the Republic of Serbia. Three samples were taken from the territory of AP Vojvodina, namely from the Southern Banat District (Vršac; I), the South Bačka District (Bač; II), and the West Bačka District (Crvenka; III). The worker bees from the central Serbia originated from different sites namely, the Rasina District (Aleksandrovac; IV), the Zlatibor District (Lučani; V), Pešter (Sjenica; VI), and the Bor District (Negotin; VII). From each sample, 15 bees were randomly selected, and their front right wings were dissected and mounted on slides in two rows. After wing preparation, they were scanned using an Epson Perfection V600 Photo scanner with a resolution of 4800 dpi. The measurement included a total of 14 parameters, 11 of which were the angles on the forewing, while the other parameters analyzed were the forewing length and width and the cubital index. The results have shown that there is a high statistically significant difference between the localities in the characteristics examined in this study. From a total of 11 angles analyzed, statistical significance (p<0.01) of average values between the localities was determined for the following angles: A4, J16, K19, L13, N23, G18, and O26. The analysis of the results of the front wings length and the cubital index has shown a significant difference between the groups of honey bees. The average forewing length across all locations in the study was 9.17mm, while the average forewing width was 3.43. The difference in terms of the average forewing width was not statistically significant between the locations. The values of the cubital index ranged from 2.28 to 2.79, with an average of 2.49 across all locations.

Physicochemical properties, total phenolic content, and antioxidant activity of the honey samples from the Herzegovina region

2024-05-13T12:41:35+02:00

Honey is a natural product that is an excellent source of energy containing mainly carbohydrates and water, as well as small amounts of organic acids, vitamins, minerals, flavonoids, and enzymes. Due to the presence of bioactive compounds, it has been shown that honey is beneficial for many diseases, e.g. gastrointestinal diseases, skin diseases, cancer, heart diseases, and neurological degeneration. The study of the physical and chemical properties of honey and the content of bioactive compounds has been increasingly applied in order to determine the quality of honey samples. The aim of this study is to investigate physicochemical properties as well as the total phenol content and antioxidant activity of seven multifloral honey samples from the Herzegovina region. Physicochemical parameters determined in the honey samples (moisture, acidity, electrical conductivity, reducing sugars, sucrose, and insoluble matter) were within the quality standard limits of the Regulation on methods for control of honey and other bee products. Total phenolic content was determined using the Folin-Ciocalteu method and it ranged from 46.98 ± 6.36 to 152.94 ± 4.95 mg GAE/100 g of honey. To determine the antioxidant activity of the honey samples, two methods, FRAP and ABTS, were used. The total phenolic content of honey correlated positively with its antioxidant activity.

The relationship between gluten proteins and loaf volume

2024-05-13T12:43:57+02:00

The storage proteins influence technological quality value of grain wheat, dough quality traits, and loaf quality. The aim of this study is to estimate variability in the dry gluten content, loaf volume, and their relationships with encoding alleles of gliadin and glutenins. Wheat genotypes grown in two vegetation seasons (2015/16 and 2016/17) were studied. The technological quality traits analyzed in this study varied in wheat genotypes within and between vegetation seasons. In both vegetation seasons the highest dry gluten content was established in G-3621-1 (30.23% and 31.15%) and the highest value of loaf volume in G-3621-1 (530 ml and 540 ml). In both vegetation seasons the least dry gluten content was found in G-3606-6 (25.42% and 25.98%) and the least loaf volume in G-3606-6 (380 ml and 390 ml). The composition of gliadin and glutenin alleles in the wheat genotypes analyzed was different. The genotypes carrying Gli-B1b, Gli-D1b, Gli-D2b, and Glu-A1b, Glu-B1c, Glu-D1d had the highest gluten content, while the genotype that carried Gli-B1l and Glu-A1b, Glu-B1c, Glu-D1d had high bread volume. The results have shown relationships between gliadin and glutenin alleles and quality traits of grain, flour, and bread.