Effects of red ginseng by-product supplementation in pollen substitute patties on colony strength of Apis mellifera

Jong-Eun Lee; Hyo-Ryeo Cho; Sun-Ick Kim; Ka-Soon Lee; Myeong-Hyeon Nam; Mi-Kyung Won

doi:10.7744/kjoas.530205

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2026 Vol.53, Issue 2 Preview Page Next Page

Animal

Effects of red ginseng by-product supplementation in pollen substitute patties on colony strength of Apis mellifera

1 June 2026. pp. 157-167

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Abstract

This study evaluated the effects of pollen substitute patties supplemented with graded levels of red ginseng by-product (RGBP) on Apis mellifera colonies. Saponin content, nutritional composition, colony strength, sealed brood ratio, feed consumption, and adult worker population were assessed. As the inclusion level of RGBP increased from 0.5 to 10.0% (w/w), crude saponin content in the pollen patty increased proportionally, ranging from 22.0 to 140.7 mg·100 g^-1. With increasing supplementation levels, total carbon and crude fiber contents slightly increased, whereas crude protein and crude fat contents decreased. Mineral contents of Ca, K, and Fe increased slightly, except for phosphorus. During the feeding period from June to October, colony strength and brood development differed among treatments. Colonies fed pollen patties containing 0.5 - 1.0% RGBP showed increased numbers of combs and higher sealed brood ratios compared with the control. In contrast, higher inclusion levels (≥ 2.5%) resulted in gradual reductions in colony growth and brood development. Feed consumption was comparable between the control and 0.5 - 1.0% treatments, whereas higher supplementation levels reduced pollen patty intake, particularly at 10.0%. Prior to overwintering, colonies fed pollen substitute patties supplemented with 0.5 - 1.0% RGBP exhibited significantly greater adult worker populations compared with the control (p < 0.05), whereas colonies receiving ≥ 2.5% supplementation showed reduced worker numbers. These findings indicate that moderate supplementation levels (0.5 - 1.0%) enhance colony strength without negatively affecting feed consumption.

Keywords

Apis mellifera

colony strength

ginsenosides

pollen substitute patty

red ginseng by-product

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Information

Publisher :Institute of Agricultural Science, Chungnam National University
Publisher(Ko) :충남대학교 농업과학연구소
Journal Title :Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
Journal Title(Ko) :농업과학연구
Volume : 53
No :2
Pages :157-167
Received Date : 2026-02-26
Revised Date : 2026-03-29
Accepted Date : 2026-03-30
DOI :https://doi.org/10.7744/kjoas.530205

Korean Journal of Agricultural Science ISSN:2466-2402(Print) 2466-2410(Online) 농업과학연구

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