Abstract

Techniques for counting ovariole number in virgin and mated Apis mellifera L. queens have been described in previous studies. Having a systematic and fast way to collect this measurement can help accelerate bee breeding programs, because selection decisions can be taken faster. The aim of this work was to develop an efficient histological method to preserve ovaries that allows assessing the number of ovarioles in newly emerged virgin queens, and also in mated queens, in a shorter time than the methods already published. The proposed method resulted in images suitable for ovariole counting in both newly emerged and mated queens, and the total histological process took less than 10 h. This method provides the optimization of the histological procedure for research breeding programs that use ovariole number as selection criteria for improving reproduction and production traits.

Details

Title
Optimized Histological Preparation of Ovary for Ovariole Counting in Africanized Honey Bee Queens (Hymenoptera: Apidae)
Author
Raulino-Domanski, Fernanda 1 ; Potrich, Michele 2 ; Freitas, Patrícia F 2 ; Abdalla, Fábio C 3 ; Martins, Elias N 1 ; Lourenco, Daniela A L 4 ; Fabiana Martins Costa-Maia 1 

 Animal Science Department, Federal Technological University of Paraná - UTFPR, Estrada para Boa Esperança, Dois Vizinhos, PR, Brazil 
 Biological Sciences Department, Laboratory of Biological Control II, Federal Technological University of Paraná - UTFPR, Dois Vizinhos, PR, Brazil 
 Department of Biology, Laboratory of Structural and Functional Biology (LABEF), Federal University of São Carlos – UFSCar, Sorocaba, SP, Brazil 
 Department of Animal and Dairy Science, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 
Publication year
2019
Publication date
Mar 2019
Publisher
Oxford University Press
e-ISSN
15362442
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
ProQuest document ID
3170722155
Copyright
© The Author(s) 2019. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of Entomological Society of America. This work is published under http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ (the “License”). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.