Evaluation of priming media and queen cup material on larval graft acceptance and queen emergence in Apis mellifera L.

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of seven different priming media viz.,Apple Juice, Coconut Water, Royal Jelly, Diluted Royal Jelly, Honey Solution, Sugar Syrup, Distilled Water and dry grafting(Control) and three queen cup material viz., old comb wax, new capping wax and plastic, on larval graft acceptance and queen emergence during mass queen rearing and the variations between Autumn and Spring season under mid-hills of Himachal Pradesh. The larval graft acceptance as well as queen emergence(85.42% and 77.08%; 89.58% and 81.25%, respectively) during Autumn and Spring season, respectively was recorded significantly highest in royal jelly primed cups whereas lowest in non-primed cups. In queen cell cup material, the larval graft acceptance and queen emergence (62.50% and 57.03%; 67.97% and 63.28%, respectively) were observed maximum in old comb wax cups followed by new capping wax and plastic cups. No significant variations were recorded between spring and autumn season. The combined effect of cup material and priming media was also found non-significant. So, royal jelly as priming medium and old comb bees wax as artificial queen cell cup material are best for larval graft acceptance and queen emergence in Apis mellifera L. mass queen production in Spring and Autumn.