Palynological identification of resources for development of apiculture in Kerala – A case study

Apiculture is a science-based industry using bees as micromanipulators to harvest nectar and pollen from plant sources to produce honey. Even though most plants in an ecosystem produce nectar and pollen, all of them do not contribute to the honey resource. The palynological investigation of the honey and pollen loads collected from four different honey bee species viz. Apis cerana indica, Apis florea, Apis dorsata and Trigona irridipennis from various localities of Thiruvananthapuram district revealed the preference of these bees to 58 different species for the colonial sustenance and honey production. The analysis showed the relevance of Bombax ceiba, Dillenia pentagyna, Aporosa lindeliyana, Cocos nucifera and Peltophorum pterocarpum in the honey production cycle of the tropical ecosystem in Kerala. Of these 58 species, 26 contribute as key resources for them and the utilization of these critical resources can modify the present honey production status at the study site which in turn can alter the economic status of the beekeepers as well as the tribal community which utilizes honey as a non-wood forest product.