Abstract

CORDOVA-CORDOVA, Claudia Ivette; RAMIREZ-ARRIAGA, Elia; MARTINEZ-HERNANDEZ, Enrique  and  ZALDIVAR-CRUZ, Juan Manuel. Botanical characterisation of honey (Apis mellifera L.) from four regions of the state of Tabasco, Mexico, by means of melisopalynological techniques. Universidad y ciencia [online]. 2013, vol.29, n.2, pp.163-178. ISSN 0186-2979.

A total of 12 honey samples were collected for botanical characterisation during the 2006-2007 harvest cycle from the municipalities of Huimanguillo, Cárdenas, Paraíso (Chontalpa region), Centla (Wetlands region) and Tacotalpa (Sierra region) in the state of Tabasco. Melisopalynological (pollen analysis) and physicochemical (pH, ash and electrical conductivity) techniques were used to characterise the honey samples. The physicochemical analyses showed no differences among the honey samples, for which reason they were not useful. In contrast, the palynological characterisation made it possible to identify three unifloral honey samples of Cocos nucífera (Centla), Mimosa orthocarpa var. berlandierí (Paraíso) and Psidium sp (Tacotalpa), seven multifloral honey samples and two bifloral honey samples of Acalypha sp / Bursera simaruba (Tacotalpa) and Gramineae / Celtis sp (Centla). The results indicate that, according to the blooming season, it is possible to harvest two different types of honey in one apiary. Tabasco in general produces different types of honey in different geographic regions and, although the state has a low production of honey, it was proved that it may compete commercially in the production of unifloral honey that is well received, particularly in the European Union.

Keywords : honey characterisation; Apis mellifera; Tabasco; melisopalynology; unifloral; bifloral; multifloral.