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Journals / Türkiye Tarımsal Araştırmalar Dergisi / 2026 / Cilt: 13 Sayı: 1

Microsatellite-Based Genetic Characterization of Honeybees from the Ordu Region, Türkiye

Berkant İsmail Yıldız(Akdeniz University, Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Antalya, TÜRKİYE)0000-0001-8965-6361
Mert Akgün(Ordu Beekeepers Association, Ordu, TÜRKİYE)
Zübeyde Sönmez(Ordu Beekeepers Association, Ordu, TÜRKİYE)0000-0002-7701-4510
Akın Çiftçi(Ordu Beekeepers Association, Ordu, TÜRKİYE)0009-0002-0521-5679
Ersin Soydan(Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Ordu Directorate of Provincial Agriculture and Forestry, Ordu, TÜRKİYE)0009-0006-8305-9113
Kemal Karabağ(Akdeniz University, Faculty of Agriculture, Department of Agricultural Biotechnology, Antalya, TÜRKİYE)0000-0002-4516-6480
Pages
26–34
Publication Date
2026-03-14
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AI Summary & Key Takeaways

AI Insight
⚡ TL;DR(Too Long; Didn't Read)

These findings suggest that the Ordu honey bee population represents a regionally differentiated genetic unit within the Anatolian honey bee lineage, emphasizing the importance of regulated queen exchange and region-based conservation strategies.

📌 3 Key Takeaways

🎯
Objective & Hypothesis:This study aimed to characterize the genetic structure of the honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) population in Ordu Province, Türkiye, using microsatellite markers and to compare it with five regional reference populations.
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Key Findings & Data:Worker bees were sampled from 50 colonies in 2023 and genotyped at fifteen polymorphic microsatellite loci.
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Conclusion & Impact:These findings suggest that the Ordu honey bee population represents a regionally differentiated genetic unit within the Anatolian honey bee lineage, emphasizing the importance of regulated queen exchange and region-based conservation strategies.
🔬Design:Araştırma Makalesi
📍Scope:2023 Verileri
⚙️Variables:Allelic diversity · heterozygosity · AMOVA

Abstract

This study aimed to characterize the genetic structure of the honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) population in Ordu Province, Türkiye, using microsatellite markers and to compare it with five regional reference populations. Worker bees were sampled from 50 colonies in 2023 and genotyped at fifteen polymorphic microsatellite loci. Genetic diversity parameters, including allele numbers, heterozygosity levels, polymorphic information content, genetic distances, and molecular variance, were calculated. The Ordu population exhibited high allelic diversity (mean observed allele number= 14.0; mean effective allele number= 9.11) and high marker informativeness (mean polymorphic information content= 0.8276). The mean expected heterozygosity (0.8445) exceeded the observed heterozygosity (0.5920). Pairwise genetic distances between Ordu and other populations ranged from 1.96 to 2.62, indicating marked genetic differentiation. Molecular variance analysis showed that 19.09% of total genetic variation was attributed to differences among populations. Multivariate and clustering analyses consistently demonstrated that the Ordu population formed a distinct genetic cluster. These findings suggest that the Ordu honey bee population represents a regionally differentiated genetic unit within the Anatolian honey bee lineage, emphasizing the importance of regulated queen exchange and region-based conservation strategies.

Özet

This study aimed to characterize the genetic structure of the honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) population in Ordu Province, Türkiye, using microsatellite markers and to compare it with five regional reference populations. Worker bees were sampled from 50 colonies in 2023 and genotyped at fifteen polymorphic microsatellite loci. Genetic diversity parameters, including allele numbers, heterozygosity levels, polymorphic information content, genetic distances, and molecular variance, were calculated. The Ordu population exhibited high allelic diversity (mean observed allele number= 14.0; mean effective allele number= 9.11) and high marker informativeness (mean polymorphic information content= 0.8276). The mean expected heterozygosity (0.8445) exceeded the observed heterozygosity (0.5920). Pairwise genetic distances between Ordu and other populations ranged from 1.96 to 2.62, indicating marked genetic differentiation. Molecular variance analysis showed that 19.09% of total genetic variation was attributed to differences among populations. Multivariate and clustering analyses consistently demonstrated that the Ordu population formed a distinct genetic cluster. These findings suggest that the Ordu honey bee population represents a regionally differentiated genetic unit within the Anatolian honey bee lineage, emphasizing the importance of regulated queen exchange and region-based conservation strategies.

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Cite This Article

Yıldız, B. İ., Akgün, M., Sönmez, Z., Çiftçi, A., Soydan, E., Karabağ, K., *, K. K. (2026). Microsatellite-Based Genetic Characterization of Honeybees from the Ordu Region, Türkiye. Türkiye Tarımsal Araştırmalar Dergisi, Cilt: 13 Sayı: 1, 26–34. https://doi.org/10.19159/tutad.1821282

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