Survey of Some Major Pollen Sources for Bees in Radom Area South Darfur State

Abstract

This study was carried out in Radom area in South Darfur State in the period from September 2013 to February 2014. Three samples of bee wax combs were used from deferent sites in Radom area, to describe the pollen grains inside combs, and report pollen sources collected from Radom area. A laboratory experiments were conducted at National Centre for Environmental Research (NCER). Pollen grains were collected by using forceps and located separately on glass slide. The separated pollen grains were dissolved in few drops of potassium hydroxide (koh). Then these samples treated with alcohol of 50% concentration, Faxing stain was used for pollen staining on the slide.The samples were washed with 60%, 70% and 80% alcohol, and fixed by zylol solution. Then the slides were covered and fixed with D.B.X. Finally these slides were checked up under electronic microscope in the National Centre for Environmental Research (NCER). This investigation was done in zoom of 40 micron. The results showed that: Most of pollen grains belong to family Mimosaceae. This family is distributed in all parts of Radom area. Twenty two different types of pollen grains were recorded for the different plant sources, such as forest trees (Combretum glutinosum), herbs (Clematis hirsute), vegetable plants (Corchorus olitorius) and fodder (Medicago sativa). There were different shapes and sizes of pollen grains that collected from bee combs. Most of pollen grains have circular type, followed by semi- angular type, angular, circular to sime- angular, elongated and compressed biconvex disc. Family Mimosaceae was found to contain the highest percentage of plant species.