Caracterización del aporte polínico de especies arbóreas y arbustivas en tres muestras de miel procedentes de apiarios, ubicados en el cantón Ambato.

Abstract

The present research consisted on the characterization of the pollen contribution of arboreal and shrub species in three samples of honey from apiaries located in the Canton Ambato, with the purpose of identifying the arboreal and shrub species that compose the pollen profile of three honey samples and categorize the honeys under study, according to their botanical origin. Through the phases of honey sample collection, acetolysis method, pollen grain identification, pollen profile description, pollen grain counting and botanical characterization in honeys. For the statistical analysis, Shapiro Wilks normality tests, Analysis of Variance and Kruskal Wallis test were applied. The results obtained report 30 botanical species, distributed in 18 families, of which 27 were determined at species level and 3 at genus level. In the pollen profile, the greatest contribution of the following species was determined Eucalyptus globulus, Eucalyptus grandis, Medicago sativa, Passiflora mollisima, Raphanus sativus and Trifolium repens, for presenting percentages higher than 10 % of pollen frequency, being the most important sources of pollen or nectar in the three honey samples. The largest pollen grain size presented the genus Aechmea sp. The predominant polarity and symmetry were (isopolar and radial). respectively; the shape and scope (spheroidal and circular) lastly; aperture and ornamentation (tricolporate and microreticulate). In the botanical origin of the species categorized as secondary pollen from Hacienda Cuesta and La Amistad are: Eucalyptus globulus and Trifolium repens, with a percentage <45% being typified as multifloral honey. On the other hand, the dominant pollen On the other hand, the species with dominant pollen in the Santa Cruz honey was Eucalyptus globulus with a percentage of 47.67% of pollen frequency, being determined as monofloral honey.