Heritability of hygienic behaviour in grey honey bees (Apis mellifera carnica)

Abstract

Breeding grey A. m. carnica queens for hygienic behaviour is beneficial for commercial beekeeping in Serbia, since hygienic behaviour, is associated with the resistance to the mite Varroa destructor, as well as to American foulbrood and chalkbrood. In this work, heritability of hygienic behaviour was analysed in autochthonous grey A. m. carnica honey bees from Šumadija region in order to ascertain if the expression of their hygienic behaviour could be enhanced through selective breeding. Heritability of hygienic behaviour was monitored through three queen generations and estimated by one-parent-offspring regression method (mother-daughter regression method). The heritability values for hygienic behaviour were h2=0.63±0.02 in relationship between daughter q̀ueens (F1s) and breeder mother queens (Ps), h 2=0.45±0.01 in relationship between grand-daughter queens (F2s) and Ps and h2=0.44±0.02 in relationship between F2s and F1s. These results show that the expression of hygienic behaviour through selective breeding could be enhanced and the best results could be achieved in the F1 generation. It is important to emphasize that the F1 colonies bred for hygienic behaviour in our stydy suffer no apparent costs in reproductive and productive performances.