Melissopalynological investigations on honey samples of Kangra hills, Himachal Pradesh, India
Sunita Saklani, VK Mattu
Melissopalynology and Bee Botanical exploration of 16 honey samples of Apis cerana F. were accomplished from Kangra hills of Himachal Pradesh, India during 2010 to 2012. A total of 90 pollen types pertaining to various species and families of plants were recorded. Among these, 4 were predominant, 29 were secondary and rests were important and important minor types. The highest pollen frequency for various honey samples were noted for Fabaceae (12), succeeded by Asteraceae (7), Rosaceae (6), Malvaceae (4), and Myrtaceae (4). The pollen were also categorized, as per economic value i.e. ornamental, medicinal, timber etc. and as per plant’s nature i.e. wild (22), wild as well as cultivated (23) and cultivated (29). From this study honey capability for each area studied were pretty clear and it explicit the enormous flora for honeybees, which could assure the augmentation of honeybees industries and horticulture productivity in concerned area.