6-(10-12):20-27 (2006) © HARUM MELLIFERA 20 POLLEN ANALYSIS OF HONEYS FROM HENDEK-AKYAZI AND KOCAALİ DISTRICTS OF ADAPAZARI PROVINCE (TURKEY) ADAPAZARI İLİ HENDEK-AKYAZI VE KOCAALİ İLÇELERİ BALLARINDA POLEN ANALİZİ Nilgün Erdoğan*, Sevil Pehlivan*, Cahit Doğan** Summary: Pollen analyses were made on honey samples from 22 different localities in Hendek, Akyazı and Kocaali districts of Adapazarı province of Turkey. 7 of 22 honey specimens were identified as unifloral honey. The remaining 15 honey specimens were determined as mul- tifloral honey. In total, pollen grains of 42 taxa were identified, which of 25 were in family, 16 were in genus level and 1 was in species level. As a result of pollen analyses, the Castanea sati- va, Rhododendron, Fabaceae and Cynoglossum pollen grains were determined as dominant. In addition, the Castanea sativa pollen grains were identified as the main nectar and pollen grain source in the honeys of the region. Keywords: Honey, Pollen Analysis, TNP-10 g, Unifloral Honey, Multifloral Honey Özet: Adapazarı ili Hendek, Akyazı ve Kocaali ilçelerinin 22 farklı yöresinden toplanan bal örneklerinde polen analizi yapılmıştır. 22 bal örneğinden 7 tanesi unifloral, 15 tanesi ise mul- tifloral bal olarak tespit edilmiştir. Yöre ballarında 25’i familya, 16’sı cins ve 1’i tür düzeyinde olmak üzere, toplam 42 taksonun poleni teşhis edilmiştir. Polenlerine dominant miktarda rast- lanan taksonlar Castanea sativa, Rhododendron, Fabaceae ve Cynoglossum olarak belirlen- miştir. Yapılan analizler sonucunda, Castanea sativa’nın yöre balları için başlıca nektar ve polen kaynağı olduğu tespit edilmiştir. Anahtar kelimeler: Bal, Polen Analizi, TPS-10 g, Unifloral bal, Multifloral Bal Introduction time, plants causing stink, bitterness and fast Honey is one of the most valuable nutrients crystallization in honey can be determined as well provided by the nature to the human being. The as determination of plants providing scent, flavor, nectar is effective in determining its physical good taste and late crystallization to honey. The first features, such as its color, transparency, density, pollen analyses of honey were studied by Pfister in odour, taste and the speed of crystallization. The 1845. In Turkey pollen analyses of honey was first quality of honey is identified by explaining its made in 1976 by Quistani. In recent years characteristic, such as its chemical component, melittopalynological studies has become major and physical features and pollen content. The key point important activities in many countries all over the in determination of honey quality is its geographical world. Nectar containing flowering plants have and botanical features. Melittopalynological been determined through pollen analyses in honey analyses are performed in order to determine samples from various countries, for example: 54 botanical origin of the honey. By means of pollen samples from Lousiana in USA1, 119 samples from analyses pollen resources might be determined, and New Zealand2, 25 samples from Canary Islands3, 8 plants, which provide nectar and pollen for bees in samples from Nigeria4, 39 samples from Spain 5, 34 different periods, might be designated. At the same samples from Argentina6 and 42 samples from * Gazi University, Science and Art Faculty, Biology Department 06500 Ankara, TURKEY ** Hacettepe University, Science Faculty, Biology Department 06800 Ankara, TURKEY e-mail: [email protected] 21 Canada7. Also, in Turkey many melittopalynolo gi - pollen preparations of Department of Biology at cal researches have been carried out by several Hacettepe University were used for the workers 8-16. identification of pollen grains. The amounts of pollen grains that were lower than 3 % were considered as the rare group, while those that were The current study aimed at identifying nectar between 3 % and 15 % were considered as the minor containing flowering plants, which contribute to the group, and those that were between 16 % and 44 % formation of honeys from Hendek-Akyazı and were considered as the secondary group. And, Kocaali districts of Adapazarı province in Turkey. pollen grains counted over 45 % were grouped as dominant group 23. It has been shown that total Materials and Methods number of pollens in 10 g of honey (TNP-10 g) 22 honey samples analysed in this research were could be a criterion to distinguish natural and obtained in July, August, September and October artificial honeys 24. In this study, the method of months of the year 2005 from the Hendek, Akyazı Sorkun and Doğan was followed 24. The examined and Kocaali districts of Adapazarı province of honeys were divided into 5 main groups. The groups based on the TPN 10 g amount were classified Turkey (Figure 1). according to the study of Jose et al. 25. The TNP 10 g amount that was lower than 20 000 was classified in group I, between 20 000 and 100 000 in group II, Kaynarca Karasu between 100 000 and 500 000 in group III, between Ferizli Kocaeli 500 000 and 1 000 000 ingroup IV, and higher than Söğütlü 1 000 000 in group V. Hendek Sakarya Results Sapanca Karapürçek 7 of 22 honey samples examined in this study were Akyazı identified as unifloral honey since they only had Pamukova dominant and rare pollen grains. 6 of the unifloral Geyve Taraklı honeys were identified as the Castanea honey, while one of them was identified as the Cynoglossum Figure 1. Map showing the localities from where honey honey. The remaining 15 honey specimens were samples were collected. determined as multifloral honey. Among the examined honey samples it was determined that the number of total taxa which of pollen grains were International method, which is accepted by the observed differed between 7 and 21 (Table 1). While experts working in bee institutes in European the Castanea sativa pollen grains in sample 1 from countries, were used for preparations to be used in Hendek-Dikmen Village were observed as pollen analyses in honey 17. Microscopic analyses dominant, the Rhododendron pollen grains were of pollen grains were carried out by a Nicon Eclipse observed as secondary. In sample 2 belonging to E400 microscope. Various reference books18-22, Hendek-Göksu Village, the Cynoglossum pollen reference pollen preparations of the plants that were grains were found in dominant quantity. In this collected from the Adapazarı region and reference sample pollen grains of secondary quantity were not MELLIFERA 22 identified. The Castanea sativa pollen grains were sample 10 from Akyazı-Taşburun Pasture, pollen determined as dominant in sample 3 from Hendek- grains of Castanea sativa were determined as Çamlıca Town, in sample 4 from Hendek-Kırktepe dominant, while pollen grains of secondary in Village and in sample 6 from Hendek- quantity were not identified. In sample 11 from Kahramanköy. In these samples pollen grains of Akyazı-Kızılcıkorman Village there were no secondary quantity were not identified. While dominant pollen grains. In this sample pollen grains dominant pollen grains were not observed in sample of the Fabaceae family and Plantago were 5 from Hendek-Çukurhan Village, the Castanea determined as secondary. The Rhododendron pollen sativa and Salix pollen grains were identified as grains in sample 12 from Akyazı-Gökçeler Village secondary. There were no dominant pollen grains in were identified as dominant and the Castanea sativa sample 7 from Hendek-Çobanyatak Village. Pollen pollen grains were determined as secondary. In grains of the Fabaceae family, Cistus and Rumex sample 13 from Akyazı-Dokurcun Town, the were found in secondary quantity. In sample 8 belonging to Hendek-Dereköy area, pollen grains of Rhododendron pollen grains were identified as Cynoglossum were identified as dominant, and no dominant and pollen grains of secondary in quantity secondary pollen grains were determined. The were not determined. In sample 14 from Akyazı- Castanea sativa pollen grains were observed Kabakulak Village, pollen grains of the Fabaceae dominant in quantity, pollen grains of the Fabaceae family were identified as dominant and pollen family were identified as secondary in quantity in grains of the Lamiaceae family were determined as sample 9 belonging to Akyazı-Keremali Pasture. In secondary in quantity. Table 1. Pollen spectra and TNP-10 g values obtained from the honey samples collected from various localities in the province of Adapazarı Honey sample number Locality Pollen spectra TNP-10 g 1 Hendek *Castanea sativa 188 573 Dikmen **Rhododendron ***Rosaceae ****Taraxacum, Fabaceae, Lamiaceae, Pinaceae, Plantago, Poaceae, Rumex, Salix 2 Hendek *Cynoglossum 77 383 Göksu **- ***Rhododendron, Fabaceae, Castanea sativa, Rosaceae, Scrophulariaceae ****Apiaceae, Boraginaceae, Echium, Cistus, Geraniaceae, Rumex, Salix, Oleaceae, Lamiaceae, Vicia 3 Hendek Çamlıca *Castanea sativa 144 329 Town **- ***- ****Taraxacum, Boraginaceae, Echium, Cistus, Fabaceae, Pinaceae, Poaceae, Rumex, Ranunculaceae, Rosaceae, Tilia, Rhododendron (*Dominant pollen, **Secondary pollen, ***Minor pollen, ****Rare pollen) 23 Table 1. Pollen spectra and TNP-10 g values obtained from the honey samples collected from various localities in the province of Adapazarı (continued) Honey sample number Locality Pollen spectra TNP-10 g 4 Hendek Kırktepe * Castanea sativa 333 856 **- ***- ****Centaurea, Helianthus, Taraxacum, Rhododendron, Fabaceae, Quercus, Lamiaceae, Plantago, Poaceae, Ranunculaceae, Rosaceae, Galium, Tilia 5 Hendek Çukurhan *- 43 001 **Castanea sativa, Salix ***Echium, Cistus, Fabaceae, Vicia, Rosaceae ****Apiaceae, Asteraceae,