Avaliação de parâmetros biométricos e produtivos para seleção de colônias da Abelha Uruçu (Melipona scutellaris Latreille, 1811)

Abstract

Melipona scutellaris stands out as the more raised genus of Melipona and is considered to have high productive potential being therefore suitable for use in genetic improvement projects. The objective is to contribute to the identification of biometric and productive parameters; to estimate the heritability and classify the accessions of the bee M. scutellaris, involved in the selection process for the use in future projects to improve the species. The methodology consisted of identifying areas of naturally occurring species, acquisition of access, formation of generations and measurement of the parameters glossal size, the pollen basket area, weight of the queen, colony weight, size and number of pots of food, size and number of combs, population estimative, use of statistical programs for obtaining the correlation, heritability and classification of the colonies. The results showed that in Bahia state it occurs in 102 municipalities (24.5% of total) in humid forests, from sea level to the highlands of the Chapada Diamantina at 1200 m altitude. The measurement of parameters determined the values for average, standard deviation, coefficient of variation and range, allowing to carry out analysis of variance and obtain the correlation between traits. We calculated the heritability of parameters considered for analysis as most important, using the GENES program, getting glossa size values (71.91%), width of the honey pots (7.38%), height of the honey pots (35.68%), volume of the honey pots (39.04%), width of the pots of pollen (14.42%), height of the pots of pollen (18.74%), weight of pollen pots (27, 83%), size of combs (37.51%) and width of the combs (47.24%). We performed the classification of the colonies by the method of index Sum of Ranks. The data are an important tool for use in breeding programs of the species.