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RESEARCH ARTICLE
Contents Vol 46(1)

Crude protein and amino acid composition of honey bee-collected pollen pellets from south-east Australia and a note on laboratory disparity

D. C. Somerville A C and H. I. Nicol B
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A NSW Agriculture, PO Box 389, 159 Auburn Street, Goulburn, NSW 2580, Australia.

B NSW Agriculture, Orange Agricultural Institute, Forest Road, Orange, NSW 2800, Australia.

C Corresponding author. Email: doug.somerville@agric.nsw.gov.au

Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 46(1) 141-149 https://doi.org/10.1071/EA03188
Submitted: 10 September 2003  Accepted: 28 October 2004   Published: 9 February 2006

Abstract

Pollen pellets collected from honey bees foraging at 62 floral species were analysed for protein and amino acid content and their value for honey bee nutrition was determined. The crude protein levels of all pollen pellets analysed ranged from 9.2% for Hypochoeris radicata (flatweed) to 37.4% for Echium plantagineum (Paterson’s curse) with a mean of 25.9%. Pollen pellets from 15 species were identified as providing protein levels below those acknowledged to satisfy honey bee dietary requirements when they are the only source of pollen available to the honey bee colony. Pollens collected from species of the same genus demonstrated similar protein profiles. Isoleucine was deficient in 38% of the pollens with 69% of eucalypts and related species demonstrating a significant isoleucine deficiency.


Acknowledgments

This project was funded in part by the Honeybee program, Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation. Beekeepers who provided beehives and collected pollen included Paul Anderson, Neil Bingley, Rob Bowman, Des Cannon, John Deacon, Les Dennis, Ian Gosper, Stephen Heatley, Michael Henderson, Richard Jennings, Harold Johnson, Mark Johnstone, Dennis Jones, Warren Jones, Grant Lockwood, Bob McDonald, Ross Mortimer, David Mumford, Ian Oakley, David Parker, Neil Peadon, Ray Phillips, Jim Picker, Chris Picker, Gary Poile, Percy Poll, Malcolm Porter, Wayne Ridley, Greg Roberts, Bruce Robertson, Harold Saxvik, John Silcock, Kevin Smith, Brian Stacy, Glenn Sunderland, Carmon Syfree, Bruce White, Laurie Woodford, and Harold Yourn.


Numerous pollen pellet sorters included NSW Agriculture Goulburn office staff, work experience students and Karren Langford. Chemists Wendy Peasley, Elspeth Berger (NSW) and Carl Rayner, Maurice Kerr (Victoria). The manuscript was typed by Joanne Ottaway NSW Agriculture, proof read by Annette Somerville, and internally refereed by Bruce White and John Rhodes NSW Agriculture.


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