<b>Influence of Africanized honeybees on sugar concentration in the nectar of soybean (<em>Glycine max</em> L. Merrill) var. Codetec 207</b> - doi: 10.4025/actascianimsci.v32i2.7930

Abstract

Influence of africanized honeybees on sugar concentration in the nectar of soybean (Glycine max L. Merrill) var. Coodetec 207. This research was carried out to evaluate the sugar concentration in soybean nectar in areas with Africanized honeybee colonies. The var. Coodetec 207 was used in four treatments: 24 m² covered area with Africanized honeybee colony inside, semi-covered area for free insect visitation, uncovered area, and covered area without insect visitation. Flowers were harvested for three days at two-hour intervals, and the total sugar concentration per flower was determined by spectrophotometry. The covered area with Africanized honeybee colony presented higher sugar concentration than the covered area without insect visitation; however, the sugar concentration in the uncovered area did not differ from the concentration observed in the covered area without honeybees. There was a reduction in the average of sucrose concentration in the uncovered area, different from concentrations in other areas. The glucose concentration did not differ among treatments, whereas fructose did not differ between the areas covered with honeybees, semi-covered and uncovered area. The soybean var. Coodetec 207 presented higher total sugar and fructose concentrations in the covered area with honeybee colonies. However, the presence of Apis mellifera did not influence this sugar concentration in the nectar of soybean flowers of this variety.