Authors: Faten Ben Abdelkader Guillaume Kairo Sylvie Tchamitchian Marianne Cousin Jaques Senechal Didier Crauser Jean Paul Vermandere Cédric Alaux Yves Le Conte Luc P Belzunces Naima Barbouche JeanLuc Brunet
Publish Date: 2013/10/03
Volume: 45, Issue: 2, Pages: 215-223
Abstract
In order to evaluate the semen quality among honey bee populations emergent honey bee drones were maintained to sexual maturity for 20 days under laboratory semifield and field conditions The drones were successfully maintained in laboratory conditions Drones under laboratory and field conditions presented a lower spermatozoa concentration and lower protein content than those under semifield conditions The viability of spermatozoa was higher under laboratory conditions and the ATP content and the superoxide dismutase activity were higher both under laboratory and field conditions compared to drones kept under semifield conditions Hence our data indicate that the semen quality was similar in drones maintained under laboratory and field conditions
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