بررسی تاثیر عصاره گیاهان هنگوان (Ferola pseudalliacea)، مزره سهندی (Satureja sahendica)، بیلهر (Myrnopsis aucheri) و لوگه‌نه (Prangos ferulacea) روی کنترل کنه واروآ (Varroa distractor) در کلنی-های زنبورعسل (Apis mellifera)

This study aims to investigate the acaricidal and insecticidal activities of different concentrations of Ferola pseudalliacea, Satureja sahendica, Myrnopsis aucheri and Prangos ferulacea plant extract on Varroa mite and its host in honey bee colonies during 1401-1402 in the climatic conditions of Kurdistan province. The plants were collected from different regions of Kurdistan province in the flowering stage and then identified. The extracts of the plants were extracted using the Soxhlet apparatus and analyzed by GC/MS. The present study was conducted in the form of a factorial experiment based on a completely randomized basic design with 14 treatments and five replications. The experimental colonies were homogenized in terms of queen age and population (adults and brood) before starting the bioassay tests. Also, the initial infection rate of colonies with Varroa mite was evaluated for bees (adult and brood). In this study, 70 Langstroth hives were used with a sticky white plastic sheet embedded in the bottom of each colony. Experimental colonies were treated at sunset every five days for 20 days using 15 ml of 20, 35 and 50% concentrations of each plant extract (60 ml in total). Then, colonies were visited every other day. The plastic sheet from the bottom of the colonies was removed and counted the number of dead bees and mites on them. Apistan anti-Varroa mite strip was used (one strip inside each colony) in the positive control treatment and water in the negative control treatment. In the present study, the effect of the acaricidal and insecticidal activity of different concentrations of each plant extract was evaluated on mites and the growth rate of the bee population (adults and brood). The results showed that all the different concentrations of tested plant extracts showed relatively favorable acaricidal activity to control Varroa mite in the present study. Based on the results of statistical analysis, the concentration of 50% of Ferola pseudalliacea extract (197.4%) showed the greatest effect on the percentage of Varroa mite mortality in honey bee colonies, which the difference was significant compared to other concentrations of studied plant extracts (P > 0.01). GC-MS analysis of Ferula assa-foetida showed that E-1-propenyl sec-butyl disulfide (25.38%), Z-1-propenyl sec-butyl disulfide (17.37%), n-propenyl sec-butyl disulfide (15.54%), Guaiol (11.99%), and β-pinene (10.69%) were the main chemical constituents, respectively. The mortality percentage of different concentrations of studied plant extracts on bees was not more than nine percent in any experimental treatments. Therefore, it is possible to recommend the concentration of 50% Ferula assa-foetida plant extract as a suitable alternative to synthetic acaricides to control the Varroa mites in the honey bee colonies.