Abstract

Honey collection is a long aged traditional activity throughout most parts of Africa. Melissopalynological analysis is widely used to verify geobotanical origin of honeys. Although continuous destruction of forest and different vegetation as a result of incessant demand for land is affecting the population of honey bee, pollination, honey yield, and loss of gene pool. Investigations were carried out on melissopalynological analysis of honey produced by Apis mellifera Adansoniilatereille (West African honeybee) in guinea savanna zone of Nigeria. Fresh honey samples from two sites were analyzed for pollen spectra and composition (abundance of pollen). The result showed that pollen grains of syzygium guinense recorded the most abundant pollen grains in honey samples collected from Nassarawa State (40.06) and Plateau State (16.55). The most frequent pollen grains of different plant species identified in Nassarawa include Parkia biglobosa, Dicranolepsis usambarica, Syzygium guinense, Bridelia ferruginea, Eucalyptus spp, Nauclea latifolia and Pterocarpus spp while Dicranolepsis usambarica, Ixora spp and Syzygium guinense were most frequent in plateau State. Relative abundance of pollens of these plant species is an indication of the plants foraged on by the bees and it is therefore important that planting and regeneration of these forest species be intensified, protected and conserved within apiaries or farms in the Guinea Savanna zone of Nigeria.

Key Words: Melissopalynological, Geobotanical, Pollination, Pollen grains