Alattal Yehya, Al-Sarhan Ramzi, Al-Ghamdi Ahmad, Adgaba Nuru, Migdadi Hussien
Abdullah Bagshan Chair for Bee Research, Department of Plant Protection, College of Food and Agricultural Sciences, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2460, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia.
Department of Plant Production, College of Food and Agricultural Sciences, King Saud University, P.O. Box 2460, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia.
Saudi J Biol Sci. 2021 Jan;28(1):578-581. doi: 10.1016/j.sjbs.2020.10.045. Epub 2020 Nov 4.
Queen mating frequency is an important reproductive trait of the western honeybee . Yet, it demands more attention when investigated under extreme or confined ecosystems. Queen mating frequency of the Yemeni Honeybee was estimated under Saudi Arabia desert conditions, Riyadh (24°71'36″N, 46°67'53″E). Mating of queens took place after 8-13 days from emergence. Duration of mating flight ranged between 26 and 39 min. Subsequently, six microsatellite loci were used to genotype queen's progeny (n = 30 workers/queen). The average number of drone alleles using workers genotypes ranged between 5.83 ± 0.31 and 6.33 ± 1.09. However, effective paternal allele number was extremely low and ranged between 3.35 ± 0.34 and 3.60 ± 0.40. This relatively low mating frequency of the Yemeni honeybee, , might have striking effect on the overall colony survival. Providentially, this relatively low mating frequency does not impact colonial heterozygosity, shown in this study (0.66 ± 0.07-70 ± 0.04), adversely. These results may affect hive survivability and entails distinctive management practices under such conditions.
蜂王交配频率是西方蜜蜂的一项重要繁殖特性。然而，在极端或受限的生态系统中进行研究时，它需要更多关注。在沙特阿拉伯利雅得（北纬24°71'36″，东经46°67'53″）的沙漠条件下，对也门蜜蜂的蜂王交配频率进行了估算。蜂王在羽化后8至13天进行交配。交配飞行持续时间在26至39分钟之间。随后，使用六个微卫星位点对蜂王的后代（每个蜂王30只工蜂）进行基因分型。利用工蜂基因型计算的雄蜂等位基因平均数量在5.83±0.31至6.33±1.09之间。然而，有效父本等位基因数量极低，在3.35±0.34至3.60±0.40之间。也门蜜蜂这种相对较低的交配频率可能会对整个蜂群的生存产生显著影响。幸运的是，本研究表明，这种相对较低的交配频率对群体杂合性没有不利影响（0.66±0.07 - 70±0.04）。这些结果可能会影响蜂巢生存能力，并需要在这种条件下采取独特的管理措施。
