Polen analysis of honeys produced from chaste tree (Vitex agnus- castus) in Aydın province

Objective: This research was carried out to determine the pollen level of chaste tree honey produced in the hayt plant areas in Aydın and the pollen sources used by the honey bees in the production areas. Materials and Methods: This research was conducted in honey bee colonies established within the scope of TAGEM Project in ADU Faculty of Agriculture, Bee and Silkworm Application and Research Unit. In the research, the plant species belonging to the pollen obtained from the colonies kept in three different locations in the ADU Faculty of Agriculture Campus area and Aydın in 2021 were determined. Plant pollens were stained with basic fuchsin with glycerin prepared by the Wodehouse Method and their images were obtained under the microscope. The botanical origins of pollen cells in honey and pollen pellets were determined with the reference images obtained. Pollens in 24 honey samples obtained from producers were visualized using the Leica DM750 model light microscope, according to the Pollen Analysis in Honey method, and the pollen belonging to the pollen pellets according to the Sawyer Method. The obtained images were compared with the reference plant preparations prepared before, and the pollen levels in honey and the sources benefited by the bees were determined. Results: In the study, the pollen rates of chaste tree made in a total of 24 honey samples; In 2020, 2021 and 2022, the mean was determined as 28.8±9.68%, 5.3%±2.17% and 29.4±10.01%, respectively. The highest chaste tree pollen rate was found in Kuyucak-Gencelli with 57.80% in 2020, and the lowest chaste tree pollen rate was found in the honey produced in Karpuzlu-Tekeler with 0.68% in 2021. In addition to Vitex agnus-castus pollen, Thymus onites, Verbascum phlomoides, Scolymus maculatus, Onopordum spp., Scolymus hispanicus, Centaurea solstitialis, Onopordum spp. were detected at minor and secondary levels in honey samples. Conclusion: In this study, chaste pollen ratio in honey samples produced in chaste tree fields showed a wide variation. For this reason, using the analysis and methods on the determination of the phenolic and aromatic compounds specific to the chaste tree plant in honey together with the pollen analysis in the identification of chaste tree honey will ensure that the results are more reliable. Key Words: Honey, pollen, chaste tree (Vitex agnus-castus), palynology