Effects of antioxidant use on semen storage in honey bees

Abstract

Although there are many studies for the storage of semen in honey bees, the desired success has not been achieved, and more study is needed in this area. It has been reported that the percentage of bee egg-laying in queen bees fertilized with stored semen, especially in long-term storage conditions is below the expected rate despite the viability rate. The reason for this situation is that honey bee spermatozoa are negatively affected by freezing processes due to their very fragile and sensitive structure. However, due to natural mating, honey bee semen can remain healthy for years in the queen bee's spermatheca. It is known that there are many enzymatic antioxidants and special proteins in the spermatheca, as well as a suitable environment for spermatozoa. Manipulating made during the stored of honey bee semen has adverse effects on spermatozoon function and fertility. In particular, current antioxidant substances against cold shock, which are among the damages that occur during freezing of semen, are being investigated, and their protective effects on semen are determined. For this purpose, it is aimed to improve the storage conditions of honey bee semen by using substances with antioxidant properties. The purpose of this review is to give information about the use of antioxidant substances in the storage of honey bee semen.