فهرست نشریات علمی دسترسی آزاد ایران

This study aimed to investigate the effect of adding different concentrations of kombucha to sugar syrup on wax glands, hypopharyngeal glands, venom production, overwintering performance, and its economic analysis on the performance of honey bee colonies in the climatic conditions of Kurdistan province during 2023 to 2025. This research was conducted in a completely randomized design with four treatments and seven replications. The treatments included a control treatment, treatments containing concentrations of 5, 10, and 15 percent per liter of kombucha dissolved in sugar syrup (in a ratio of 1:1). Wax gland size, hypopharyngeal gland size, venom production, and overwintering performance traits of honey bee colonies in experimental treatments were investigated in the present study. The results of variance analysis showed that the effect of different concentrations of kombucha on the studied traits was significant (p<0.01). Based on the results of the mean comparison, the highest mean of wax glands size (1142.86 micron), hypopharyngeal glands size (length (153.08) and width (93.92) micron), venom production (0.14 g), and overwintering performance (0.62) were related to honey bees of 10 % kombucha treatment, and the lowest was related to bees of control treatment. Economic analysis of the kombucha effect on honey bee colony performance was conducted based on honey production and pollen collection traits in the present study. The results showed that adding kombucha to bee nutrition led to an increase in profits from the sale of each colony products (honey and pollen) compared to the control treatment. The highest profit from adding kombucha in the experimental treatments was related to the 10% kombucha treatment per liter, which this treatment was recognized as the best treatment with the highest profit of 103,157,500 Rials per hive and a profit of 52,747,010 Rials compared to the control treatment. With regard to the results of this study, adding a 10% concentration per liter of kombucha to the feeding of bees can be recommended for improving the functional traits of honey bee colonies and increasing the economic efficiency of apiaries especially periods of nectar and pollen scarcity in nature.