Observation of Genetic Gain with Instrumental Insemination of Honeybee Queens
Controlling mating in the honeybee (<i>Apis mellifera</i>) is part of one of the greatest challenges for the beekeeping industry’s genetic selection programs due to specific characteristics of their reproduction. Several techniques for supervising honeybee mating with relative effective...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2023-03-01
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| Series: | Insects |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4450/14/3/301 |
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| author | Ségolène Maucourt Andrée Rousseau Frédéric Fortin Claude Robert Pierre Giovenazzo |
| author_facet | Ségolène Maucourt Andrée Rousseau Frédéric Fortin Claude Robert Pierre Giovenazzo |
| author_sort | Ségolène Maucourt |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Controlling mating in the honeybee (<i>Apis mellifera</i>) is part of one of the greatest challenges for the beekeeping industry’s genetic selection programs due to specific characteristics of their reproduction. Several techniques for supervising honeybee mating with relative effective control have been developed over the years to allow honeybee selection. As part of this project, we compared the genetic gains for several colony performance traits, obtained using the BLUP-animal method, according to the selection pressure applied in controlled reproduction (directed fertilization versus instrumental insemination). Our results show similar genetic gains for hygienic behavior and honey production between colonies whether queens were fertilized naturally or via instrumental insemination, as well as similar or lower genetic gains for colonies with queens inseminated for spring development. In addition, we noticed greater fragility in queens following insemination. These findings show that instrumental insemination is an effective tool for reproductive control in genetic selection and for estimating breeding values more precisely. However, this technique does not result in queens of superior genetic quality for commercial purposes. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T06:23:32Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-e5ab11f9a11e475b823c7604b4557f8a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2075-4450 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T06:23:32Z |
| publishDate | 2023-03-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Insects |
| spelling | doaj.art-e5ab11f9a11e475b823c7604b4557f8a2023-11-17T11:46:42ZengMDPI AGInsects2075-44502023-03-0114330110.3390/insects14030301Observation of Genetic Gain with Instrumental Insemination of Honeybee QueensSégolène Maucourt0Andrée Rousseau1Frédéric Fortin2Claude Robert3Pierre Giovenazzo4Department of Biology, Vachon Pavillon, Université Laval, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, CanadaCentre de Sciences Animales de Deschambault, 120A Chemin du Roy, Deschambault, QC G0A 1S0, CanadaCentre de Développement du porc du Québec, 450-2590 Boulevard Laurier, Québec, QC G1V 4M6, CanadaDepartment of Animal Science, Institut sur la Nutrition et les Aliments Fonctionnels, Université Laval, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, CanadaDepartment of Biology, Vachon Pavillon, Université Laval, Québec, QC G1V 0A6, CanadaControlling mating in the honeybee (<i>Apis mellifera</i>) is part of one of the greatest challenges for the beekeeping industry’s genetic selection programs due to specific characteristics of their reproduction. Several techniques for supervising honeybee mating with relative effective control have been developed over the years to allow honeybee selection. As part of this project, we compared the genetic gains for several colony performance traits, obtained using the BLUP-animal method, according to the selection pressure applied in controlled reproduction (directed fertilization versus instrumental insemination). Our results show similar genetic gains for hygienic behavior and honey production between colonies whether queens were fertilized naturally or via instrumental insemination, as well as similar or lower genetic gains for colonies with queens inseminated for spring development. In addition, we noticed greater fragility in queens following insemination. These findings show that instrumental insemination is an effective tool for reproductive control in genetic selection and for estimating breeding values more precisely. However, this technique does not result in queens of superior genetic quality for commercial purposes.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4450/14/3/301selection programgenetic gainselection pressureinstrumental inseminationdirected fertilizationbreeding value |
| spellingShingle | Ségolène Maucourt Andrée Rousseau Frédéric Fortin Claude Robert Pierre Giovenazzo Observation of Genetic Gain with Instrumental Insemination of Honeybee Queens Insects selection program genetic gain selection pressure instrumental insemination directed fertilization breeding value |
| title | Observation of Genetic Gain with Instrumental Insemination of Honeybee Queens |
| title_full | Observation of Genetic Gain with Instrumental Insemination of Honeybee Queens |
| title_fullStr | Observation of Genetic Gain with Instrumental Insemination of Honeybee Queens |
| title_full_unstemmed | Observation of Genetic Gain with Instrumental Insemination of Honeybee Queens |
| title_short | Observation of Genetic Gain with Instrumental Insemination of Honeybee Queens |
| title_sort | observation of genetic gain with instrumental insemination of honeybee queens |
| topic | selection program genetic gain selection pressure instrumental insemination directed fertilization breeding value |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2075-4450/14/3/301 |
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