Determination of the growth curves of worker bees (Apis mellifera L.) by means of an asymptotic-sigmoid diphase growth model

Authors

  • Hélio Carlos Rocha Universidade de Passo Fundo, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária, Passo Fundo, RS
  • Maria Terezinha Trovarelli Tornero Universidade Estadual Paulista, Instituto de Biociências, Departamento de Bioestatística, Botucatu, SP
  • Silvia Regina Cunha Funari Universidade Estadual Paulista, Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia, Departamento de Produção e Exploração Animal, Botucatu, SP

Keywords:

growth curves, honeybees, asymptotic-sigmoid, diphase, Apis mellifera L.

Abstract

The objective of this research was to study a growth model for africanized honeybees worker’s and their hybrids with carniolan and italian bees, from the time of eclosion to the emergence of imago. To determine egg-laying time, the queens were kept without food in frames with a single comb. Larvae and/or pupae were weighed at 24-hour interval and, from day six to eight, they were weigned at 12-hours interval. A monotonic, two-phase model was used to determine the larvae or pupae growth rate. This model comprised of a logistic function, wich corresponded to the time in which the larvae was kept without food, subtracted from na exponential function, which correponded to the rest of the observation period. Through an iteractive process, the growth curves parameters of 15 individuals were estimated. The results obtained are estimatives and standard deviations for Africanized honeybees and their Italian and Carniolan, respectively. The maximum body weight ( standard deviations (.) body weight (a1) was 132.9758mg (6.1729mg); 133.2484mg (6.6957mg) and 135.1225mg (5.1350mg). The estimated times to reach 50% of this weight (d1) was 6.22 days (0.0518 days), 6.45 days (0.0474 days) and 6.48 days (0.0390 days). The parameter related to the growth rate (g1) was estimated in 2.4072/day (0.3577/day); 3.9477 day (0.7744/day) and 3.5900/day (0.5193/day). The parameters from the exponential (a2) was 3.0319mg (4.2365mg); 4.7950mg (5.8728mg) and 6.2678mg (5.7647mg); and for (g2) the parameters were 0.2304/dia (0.1325/day); 0.2448/day (0.1446/day) and 0.3066/day (0.1666/day). The determination coefficients were 99%, 98% and 99%.

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Published

2013-12-02

Issue

Section

QUANTITATIVE METHODS AND ECONOMY

How to Cite

Determination of the growth curves of worker bees (Apis mellifera L.) by means of an asymptotic-sigmoid diphase growth model. (2013). Bulletin of Animal Husbandry, 57(2), 179-185. http://bia.iz.sp.gov.br/index.php/bia/article/view/1402

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