Saprophytic fungi in the honey bee colonies of Mazandaran province

Authors

1 Assistant Professor, Agriculture & Natural Resources Research & Education Center of Mazandaran, Agriculture Research. Education and Extention Organization (AREEO), Sari, Iran

2 Assistant Professor, Razi vaccine and serum Research Institute, Agriculture Research. Education and Extention Organization (AREEO), Karaj, Iran.

Abstract

Different types of saprophytic fungi are able to grow in the bee colonies and in certain circumstances produce dangerous toxins that are dangerous to humans and animals. This article pays the study of saprophytic fungi in bee colonies of Mazandaran province.for this purpose during three seasons, (Spring - summer, fall), From 468 Beehive,1872 Sample (Bees, larvae, pollen and honey) Collecting and to define the level of the contamination, each sample were cultivated in Sabouraud Dextrose Agar.Totally 10 genera of fungi including: Alternaria spp (7.2%), Rhizopus spp (8.3%), Mucor spp (8%), Fusarium spp (16.0%), curvularia spp (16.0%), Penicillium spp (45.0%), Helmetosporium spp (37 . 0%), Acrmunium spp (3.4%), Streptomyces spp (10.0%) and Scopolariupsis spp (16.0%) were isolated and detected. The percentage of the total fungal contamination in the samples studied were20.20%.  Depending on the type sample, the percentage of fungal contamination, Bee (20/5%), larva (19.9%), pollen (22.00%) And honey is (18.8%). The difference is not statistically significant. Also the percentage fungal contamination is in the spring (5.7%), summer (25.31%) And autumn (4.25%). The difference is statistically significant. 

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