Entomological signatures in honey: an environmental DNA metabarcoding approach can disclose information on plant-sucking insects in agricultural and forest landscapes.

ABSTRACT: Honeydew produced from the excretion of plant-sucking insects (order Hemiptera) is a carbohydrate-rich material that is foraged by honey bees to integrate their diets. In this study, we used DNA extracted from honey as a source of environmental DNA to disclose its entomological signature determined by honeydew producing Hemiptera that was recovered not only from honeydew honey but also from blossom honey. We designed PCR primers that amplified a fragment of mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (COI) gene of Hemiptera species using DNA isolated from unifloral, polyfloral and honeydew honeys. Ion Torrent next generation sequencing metabarcoding data analysis assigned Hemiptera species using a customized bioinformatic pipeline. The forest honeydew honeys reported the presence of high

SUBMITTER: Utzeri VJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6030050 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature