Nutritional Compositions of the Nectar of Melliferous Plants and their Impact on Honey Production in Selected Vegetation Zones in Nigeria

Abstract

Communication in Physical Sciences 2019, 4(1): 23-29

Authors: Ifiok D. Uffia, C. O. Akachuku & O. E. Udofia

Received 12 July 2019/Accepted 20 December 2019

Nutritional compositions of the nectar of melliferous plants and their impact on honey production were studied for 48 months in the mangrove vegetation (in Akwa Ibom and Rivers States in Nigeria) and rainforest vegetation (in Abia and Imo states in Nigeria). Nectar of melliferous plants was collected randomly for three years (2015-2017) and from two states in each of the vegetation zones during dry and raining seasons. Samples were also taken in the early and later stages of flowering and the plants selected for study were Helicteres ixora, Musa paradisiaca, Thevetia peruviana, Costus afer, Allamanda cathartica, Canna generalis and Setcreasea pallida. In each of the zones, nectar was extracted from the flowers directly, using a 10 µl capillary tube from the floral cup of 200-3000 flowers of melliferious plants. Measured concentrations of sugar and vitamins indicated that vitamin B2 contents had the least mean value of 0.066 mg/100g while vitamin C contents had highest mean value of 72.971 mg/100g. Mean concentrations of glucose, fructose and sucrose were 172.164 mg/100g, 172.893 mg/100g and 173.296 mg/100g respectively. Mean seasonal variability revealed that higher concentrations of vitamins and sugar in nectar of melliferous plants was in the dry season indicating that the rate of biochemical processes within plants that produces nectar increases with increase in temperature.