The Role of Alternative Plants in the Development Cycle of Beekeeping: A Case Study of Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) and ProbeePlus Feed Supplement

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.69760/portuni.26050003

Keywords:

Beekeeping, lavender, ProbeePlus, Liebefeld method, biodiversity, honey yield, ecosystem, Apis mellifera caucasica, nectar plants, feed supplement

Abstract

This study examines the characteristics of the non-traditional lavender plant (Lavandula angustifolia Mill.) with high nectar yield and its role in the development cycle of beekeeping. The agroecological characteristics of this plant, its flowering periods, and the mechanisms of its influence on bee productivity were analyzed from a scientific perspective. Studies show that the lavender field has a significant impact on the expansion of the food base of bee colonies, the extension of the nectar collection period, and the improvement of honey quality indicators. During the research period, the effect of applying a complex biologically active feed supplement (ProbeePlus) to the feed supply of Caucasian (Apis mellifera caucasica) honey bee colonies placed in a lavender field was studied in relation to the development dynamics and honey yield of the bees. The ProbeePlus feed supplement was added to the daily food base of the experimental group of bee colonies, and the brood area and honey yield of the colonies were analyzed comparatively using the Liebefeld method. The results demonstrate that the combined use of lavender as a nectar base and ProbeePlus as a biologically active supplement significantly enhances both colony development and honey productivity.

Author Biographies

  • Gunel Seyidzadeh, Nakhchivan Agricultural Research Institute named after Academician Hasan Aliyev, Azerbaijan

    Gunel Seyidzadeh (D.Agr., Associate Professor) is affiliated with the Nakhchivan Agricultural Research Institute named after Academician Hasan Aliyev, Azerbaijan. Her research interests include beekeeping, alternative nectar plants, apiculture management, and agricultural ecology.

    https://orcid.org/0009-0000-5723-0155

    Email: g_seyid@mail.ru

  • Zeynab Rasulova, Nakhchivan Agricultural Research Institute named after Academician Hasan Aliyev, Azerbaijan

    Zeynab Rasulova is a Master’s researcher at the Nakhchivan Agricultural Research Institute named after Academician Hasan Aliyev, Azerbaijan. Her research interests include beekeeping, bee colony development, and the application of biologically active feed supplements in apiculture.

    https://orcid.org/0009-0008-3596-5378

    Email: zeynbresulova946@gmail.com

References

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Cınbırtoğlu, Ş., Konak, F., Sıralı, R., & Demirkol, G. (2019). Pollen activity of the honey bee (Apis mellifera L.). Journal of Beekeeping Research, 21–27.

Gurbanov, R., & Mammadov, M. (2025). Characteristics of the paulownia tree and its importance in beekeeping. Journal of Scientific Research in the Agrarian Field, Livestock Scientific Research Institute, Goygol, pp. 149–154.

Hajiyev, R., & Seyidova, Z. (2024). Cultivation of ornamental nectar-producing plants to strengthen the forage base in beekeeping. Journal of Scientific Research in the Agrarian Field, Livestock Scientific Research Institute, Goygol, pp. 91–98.

Hajiyeva, A. (2019). The role of beekeeping in the development of agriculture. In Proceedings of the 5th Nakhchivan International Beekeeping Conference (pp. 81–83). Nakhchivan State University.

Radev, Z. (2023). Honey bee (Apis mellifera L.) pollination as an ecological method to increase the quality of lavender essential oil. Agriculturae Conspectus Scientificus, 85–88.

Seyidzade, G. (2024). The importance of lavender (Lavandula angustifolia Mill.) in medicine, cosmetology, and the development of beekeeping. In Proceedings of the “For a Green World: Organic Nakhchivan” I Republican Scientific Conference (pp. 118–124). Nakhchivan State University.

Tahirov, A., Rustamli, Y., & Huseynov, H. (2019). The forage base of beekeeping in the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic and ways of its efficient use. In Proceedings of the 5th Nakhchivan International Beekeeping Conference (133 p.). Nakhchivan State University, “Geyrat” Publishing House.

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Published

2026-05-01

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Articles

How to Cite

Seyidzadeh, G., & Rasulova, Z. (2026). The Role of Alternative Plants in the Development Cycle of Beekeeping: A Case Study of Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia) and ProbeePlus Feed Supplement. Porta Universorum, 2(5), 20-26. https://doi.org/10.69760/portuni.26050003

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