TESTING OF THE NUTRIENT SUPPLEMENT ENRICHED WITH BIOMASS OF AQUATIC ALGAE SCENEDESMUS APICULATUS IN THE BEE'S FEED

Valentina Cebotari, I. Buzu, Olga Postolachi, Olesea Gliga, N. Granciuc

Abstract
    The purpose of this study was to test in the bee's feed the biomass of aquatic microalgae Scenedesmus apiculatus, hereinafter referred to as bioactive supplement "Scenecuadri" and elaboration on its basis of a process of feeding of bee families during the end of winter and start of spring (february-march), poor harvesting period in nature. The researches were conducted on the Apis mellifera Carpatica bee families at the experimental apiary of the Institute of Zoology of the Academy of Sciences. For testing of biomass in bee's feed at the end of February, they were formed three batches of bees families, to which once for each frame with bees were administered 200 g of nutritional paste, prepared by mixing the powdered sugar with honey in proportion 7:3. The batch I - control, bees have received only nutritional paste, prepared by mixing the powdered sugar with honey. The batch II - the bees have received paste enriched with nutritional supplement „Apispir+Zn” in quantity of 200 mg of active substance per 1 kg of paste. The batch III - bees have received nutritional paste enriched with bioactive supplement „Apiculatus” in a quantity equivalent to 200 mg of dry substance per 1 kg of paste. Research results have shown that feeding of bee families with nutritional supplement enriched with biomass of aquatic microalgae S. apiculatus help to increase, compared to the control batch, queen prolificacy up to 164 eggs or 10,3% (t_d=5.2; P<0.001), the amount of capped brood with 17.8 hundreds cells or 9.3% (t_d=4.7; P<0.001), family power with 0.23 kg or 7.1% (t_d=3.0; P<0.01), resistance to disease by 3.4 points or 3.8% (t_d=3.6; P<0.01), brood viability with 1.2 points or 1.3% (t_d=2.9; P<0.01) the amount of bee bread accumulated in nest with 24.9 hundreds cells or 27.6% (t_d=8.4; P<0.001), the amount of wax increased by 0.11 kg or 36.7% (t_d=5.0; P<0.001) and the amount of honey at first harvesting with 4.18 kg or 38.9% (t_d=9.9; P<0.001). The result is due to increasing nutrient assimilation and accessibility of biomass, given the fact that the micro S. apiculatus is covered with a thin protective membrane and the biomass is rich in biologically active substances, in particular proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, essential amino acids, micro - and macro elements, antioxidants (β-carotene), which have a catalytic role in the metabolism of substances nitrogenous to worker bees, participates in the synthesis of enzymes, improves the vital activity of bees, with direct influences on their flight intensity, activating nectar and pollen harvesting functions, as well as secretory functions of wax glands, stimulates the functions of reproductive system of the queen, activating ovogenesis and egg-laying. All of this mostly determines the power of bee families, their capacity to accumulate precursors of beekeepers' products (nectar, pollen) and their productive potential as a whole.

Key words: bees, nutritional supplement, biomass, microalgae, Scenedesmus apiculatus