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Dr. Mohd. Javed Ansari

King Saud University, Plant Protection Department, Faculty Member

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Dr. Mohammad Javed Ansari is working as Assistant Professor of Botany at Hindu College Moradabad, M.J.P. Rohilkhand University Bareilly
Phone: +919359436433
Address: Chair of Eng. Abdullah Baqshan for Bee Research
Department of Plant Protection
College of Food and Agricultural Sciences
King Saud University- Riyadh, 11543 | www.ksu.edu.sa |
P O Box- 51178, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Telephone: +966-1-4679661(Off), 46790659(Off), 46796639(Lab)
Mobile: (+966-594943252)
Email: mjavedansari@gmail.com jansari@ksu.edu.sa
Fax- +966-1-4679663

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Papers by Dr. Mohd. Javed Ansari

Enhancing maize growth through the synergistic impact of potassium enrich biochar and spermidine

Insect pollinators diversity and abundance in Eruca sativa

by Dr. Habib Ali and Dr. Mohd. Javed Ansari

Studies on the insect pollinators diversity and their relative abundance in Eruca sativa Mill. (A... more Studies on the insect pollinators diversity and their relative abundance in Eruca sativa Mill. (Arugula) and Brassica rapa L. (field mustard) was carried out during spring season from February to April consecutively during all the three years of 2016–18. Insect pollinators observed belonged to four orders i.e. Hymenoptera, Diptera, Lepidoptera, and Coleoptera. A total of 20 major species of insect pollinators were recorded. The highest abundance of pollinator species belonged to Hymenoptera. The most prominent insect pollinator species were Apis mellifera followed by other three honey bee species of A. cerana, A. flo-rea, and A. dorsata respectively. Some species of solitary bees were also recorded. From Diptera, four species of syrphid fly and one species from Muscidae family were also recorded. Insect pollinators recorded from order Lepidoptera were Pieris brassicae, Vanessa cardui, and Papilio demoleus. Lady bird beetle Coccinella septempunctata was recorded from Coleoptera order as occasional visitor. It was noticed that E. sativa attracted more insect pollinators than B. rapa which may be attributed to different amount and chemical properties of nectar, with number of pollen grains, and flower canopy of both crops. Further studies are needed to confirm the reasons for higher pollinator visitation to E. sativa than B. rapa through chemical analysis of nectar, amount of pollens, flower physiology and phenology of both crops. Ó 2018 Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of King Saud University. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

Insect pollinators diversity and abundance in Eruca sativa Mill. (Arugula) and Brassica rapa L. (Field mustard) crops

Saudi Journal of Biological Sciences, 2018

Studies on the insect pollinators diversity and their relative abundance in Eruca sativa Mill. (A... more Studies on the insect pollinators diversity and their relative abundance in Eruca sativa Mill. (Arugula) and Brassica rapa L. (field mustard) was carried out during spring season from February to April consecutively during all the three years of 2016-18. Insect pollinators observed belonged to four orders i.e. Hymenoptera, Diptera, Lepidoptera, and Coleoptera. A total of 20 major species of insect pollinators were recorded. The highest abundance of pollinator species belonged to Hymenoptera. The most prominent insect pollinator species were Apis mellifera followed by other three honey bee species of A. cerana, A. flo-rea, and A. dorsata respectively. Some species of solitary bees were also recorded. From Diptera, four species of syrphid fly and one species from Muscidae family were also recorded. Insect pollinators recorded from order Lepidoptera were Pieris brassicae, Vanessa cardui, and Papilio demoleus. Lady bird beetle Coccinella septempunctata was recorded from Coleoptera order as occasional visitor. It was noticed that E. sativa attracted more insect pollinators than B. rapa which may be attributed to different amount and chemical properties of nectar, with number of pollen grains, and flower canopy of both crops. Further studies are needed to confirm the reasons for higher pollinator visitation to E. sativa than B. rapa through chemical analysis of nectar, amount of pollens, flower physiology and phenology of both crops. Ó 2018 Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of King Saud University. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

Composition and functional properties of propolis (bee glue): A review

by Dr. Mohd. Javed Ansari and Nuru Adgaba

Saudi Journal of Biological Sciences, 2018

Propolis is a natural substance collected by honey bees from various plants such as, poplar, palm... more Propolis is a natural substance collected by honey bees from various plants such as, poplar, palm, pine, conifer secretions, gums, resins, mucilage and leaf buds. It is collected and brought very painstakingly by honey bees to be used for sealing cracks and crevices occurring in their hives. Originally, it as an antiseptic meant for preventing bee-hive from microbial infections along with preventing decomposition of intruders. Additionally, propolis has been used in folk medicine for centuries. The biological characteristics of propolis depend upon its chemical composition, plant sources, geographical zone and seasons. More than 300 compounds have been identified in propolis such as, phenolic compounds, aromatic acids, essential oils, waxes and amino acids. Many scientific articles are published every year in different international journals, and several groups of researchers have focused their attention on the chemical compounds and biological activity of propolis

Fitness parameters of Plutella xylostella (L.) (Lepidoptera; Plutellidae) at four constant temperatures by using age-stage, two-sex life tables

Saudi Journal of Biological Sciences, 2018

Different temperature zones have significant impact on the population dynamics of Plutella xylost... more Different temperature zones have significant impact on the population dynamics of Plutella xylostella. Effective management of P. xylostella requires the knowledge of temperature tolerance by different life stages. In the current study, fitness parameters of diamondback moth were reported by using age-stage, two-sex life table traits at four constant temperatures (15, 20, 25 and 30 °C). The life cycle of P. xylostella was significantly longer at 15 °C. The 20 °C level of temperature was found optimal for fecun-dity, gross reproductive rate (51.74 offspring) and net reproductive rate (44.35 offspring per individual). The adult pre-oviposition period was statistically at par at all four level of temperatures. However, the survival was maximum at 20 °C as compared to other three temperature ranges. Based on the current study, it was concluded that temperature has a great role in population build-up of P. xylostella and effective management tactics should be applied to prevent significant damage to cabbage and other crucifer-ous crops when the temperature in the field is near 20 °C. Ó 2018 Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of King Saud University. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

Nutritional status of different biosolids and their impact on various growth parameters of wheat (Triticum aestivum L

Saudi Journal of Biological Sciences, 2018

Biosolids can be effectively recycled and applied as soil amendments for agricultural crops becau... more Biosolids can be effectively recycled and applied as soil amendments for agricultural crops because they contain several important micro and macronutrients including nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, manganese. In the current study, we evaluated the effectiveness of seven biosoilds on different growth parameters of wheat crop. The biosolids used were lime stabilized, composted, liquid mesophilic anaerobically digested (liquid MAD), thermally dried mesophilic anaerobically digested (thermally dried MAD), thermally hydrolyzed mesophilic anaerobically digested (thermally hydrolysed MAD), dewatered mesophilic anaerobically digested (dewatered MAD) and thermally dried raw biosolids. We also analysed biosolids for their nutrient contents before application. The results revealed that different types of biosolids differed in nitrogen and phosphorous contents with highest contents observed in dewatered (5.70% nitrogen, 2.32% phosphorous) and liquid biosolids (2.35% phosphorous). The plant height, plant diameter and dry weight yield of wheat was increased with the increase in concentrations of biosolids. Liquid MAD resulted in maximum plant height of 120.35 ± 3.23, 133.2 ± 3.67 and 147.25 ± 3.11 at 3.33, 6.66 and 9.99 tons/ha concentration. The highest plant diameter was recorded (1.05-1.45 cm) where mineral nitrogen was applied. The study will be helpful in replacing the synthetic fertilizer with biosolids to fulfil the nutritional requirements of agricultural crops. Ó 2018 Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of King Saud University. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

In vivo pharmacological investigation of Monotheca buxifolia and Bosea amherstiana using animal models

Saudi Journal of Biological Sciences, 2018

Experimental based evidence suggests that most of the medicinal plants possess wide-ranging pharm... more Experimental based evidence suggests that most of the medicinal plants possess wide-ranging pharmacological and biological activities that may possibly use in treatment of inflammation-related diseases. The current study was aimed to explore the acute toxicity, analgesic, sedative and antipyretic activities of Monotheca buxifolia and Bosea amherstiana in mices. In vivo experimental models were used in this study. Acute toxicity was evaluated for 24 h' interval at concentration of 500, 1000, 1500 and 2000 mg/kg. The analgesic activity was estimated by acetic acid induced writhing test. White wood apparatus enclosed in stainless steel was used for sedative experiment and antipyretic activity was evaluated in brewer's yeast induced hyperthermic at 50, 100 and 150 mg/kg i.p. Both plants were found safe at all tested doses. Monotheca buxifolia and Bosea amherstiana dose-dependently reduced abdominal constrictions in mice. Both plants exhibited significant (P < 0.0001) sedative effects in dose of 50, 150 and 150 mg/kg. Both plants markedly (P < 0.0001) reduced yeast induced hyperthermia. The inhibitions were dose-dependent and remained significant up to five hours of administration. These investigational results have linked a pharmacological indication for the traditional claim of the drugs to be used as an anti-inflammatory, analgesics and antipyretic agents. Ó 2018 Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of King Saud University. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

Influence of gibberellic acid and different salt concentrations on germination percentage and physiological parameters of oat cultivars

by Dr. Mohd. Javed Ansari and Anju Chauhan

Saudi Journal of Biological Sciences, 2019

Gibberellic acid (GA 3) is one of the plant growth regulators which improve salt tolerance and mi... more Gibberellic acid (GA 3) is one of the plant growth regulators which improve salt tolerance and mitigate the salt stress impact on plants. The extant analysis was carried out to study the effect of GA 3 and different salt concentrations on seed germination and physiological parameters of oat cultivars. Oats is substantially less tolerant to salt than wheat and barley. Experimentation was conducted as factorial with Completely Randomized Block Design with three replicates. Different concentration of NaCl salt ((25, 50, 75 and 100 mM) were used in test control group and 100 and 150 ppm of GA 3 were used in two group by pre-treated (after 24 h of the seed soaking) and plants were analyzed on 15th day. Results indicate that increasing salinity would decrease the germination percentage and growth parameter in three oat cultivars. Quotes data indicating a 13%, 19.9% and 32.48% in cultivars NDO-2, UPO-212 and UPO-94 germination reduction when soil salinity reaches 50 mM. A 36.02%, 47.33% and 56.365 reduction in germination is likely when soil salinity reaches 100 mM respectively same cultivars. Seeds treated with GA 3 significantly promoted the percentage of germination, shoot and root length, total fresh and dry weight of seedling, tissue water content and seedling vigor index by NDO-2 and UPO-212 under different saline concentration. The maximum average of germination and growth parameters were observed from 150 ppm GA 3 treated seeds. But this concentration was significantly inhibited root length in sensitive cul-tivar UPO-94 at 75 and 100 mM salt as compared to 100 ppm. We observed that, the high concentration of GA 3 was not suitable for sensitive oat cultivars. Because the plant root are the real workforce behind any plants success. Thus, it may be concluding that, GA 3 treatment could curtail the toxic effect of salinity by increasing germination percentage and shoot and root length, total fresh and dry weight, tissue water content and seedling vigor index in tolerant cultivar. Ó 2019 Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of King Saud University. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

Biogenic Synthesis of Silver Nanoparticles Using Propolis Extract, Their Characterization, and Biological Activities

Science of Advanced Materials, 2019

Silver nanoparticles synthesis through biological extracts is drawing attention in biology becaus... more Silver nanoparticles synthesis through biological extracts is drawing attention in biology because of their biocom-patibility, green approach, and eco-friendly nature. The biogenic synthesis of silver nanoparticles using propolis (bee glue) are reported and the immune modulation, antibacterial, and hemolytic toxicity of the synthesis of silver nanoparticles were explored. The characterization of synthesis of silver nanoparticles was performed by ultraviolet-visible spectrophotometry, scanning electron microscopy, and Fourier-transform infrared radiation spectroscopy. Silver nanoparticles containing extract revealed a significant effect against the tested bacterial strains. Furthermore, the results revealed that there were low stimulatory effects of the propolis extract on phy-tohaemagglutinin stimulated rat splenic cells but little more on normal cells. The stimulatory effects decreased with the decrease in the concentration of propolis extract. The extract alone was comparatively safe on red blood cells but that containing silver nanoparticles was not and didn't cause any severe elevation in liver enzymes.

An analysis of osprey chewing lice interaction with a new record for Saudi Arabia

African Entomology, 2019

Parasitism is a hostile relationship that helps greatly in the development and evolution of many ... more Parasitism is a hostile relationship that helps greatly in the development and evolution of many creatures in their race for survival. Chewing lice of nestlings of the osprey Pandion haliaetus (L.) have been studied in Farasan Island, Saudi Arabia. All previous chewing lice records from this bird have also been reviewed. Four species of chewing lice are previously known to infest P. haliaetus. The nestlings of the osprey in Farasan were only infested by Colpocephalum turbinatum Denny, 1842. This species of chewing lice is recorded herein for the first time from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and its distributional pattern is very characteristic among three different avian orders (Accipitriformes, Columbiformes, and Strigiformes). Colpocephalum turbinatum was found mainly on terrestrial birds of the order Columbiformes and it may be transferred to predatory birds in the other two orders, but the presence of this parasite on some aquatic birds of prey like osprey may indicate that the ancestors of these birds were terrestrial hunters that acquired this louse from their prey such as doves and pigeons before their transference to aquatic life. The pattern of chewing lice distribution through their host populations and habitats may reveal some important ecological and evolutionary events that happened to their hosts in the past.

Development and validation of Lenalidomide in human plasma by LC-MS/MS

A highly sensitive and ultra-fast high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry... more A highly sensitive and ultra-fast high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) assay is developed and validated for the quantification of Lenalidomide in human plasma. Lenalidomide is extracted from human plasma by Liquid-Liquid Extraction by Ethyl Acetate and analyzed using a reversed phase isocratic elution on a XTerra RP18, (4.6 Â 50 mM, 5 mm) column. A 0.1% Formic acid: Methanol (10:90% v/v), is used as mobile phase and detection was performed by Triple quadrupole mass spectrometry LC-MS/MS using electrospray ionization in positive mode. Fluconazole is used as the internal standard. The lower limit of quantification is 9.999 ng/mL for Lenalidomide. The calibration curves are consistently accurate and precise over the concentration range of 9.999 to 1010.011 ng/mL in plasma for Lenalidomide. This novel LC–MS/MS method competes with all the regulatory requirements and shows satisfactory accuracy and precision and is sufficiently sensitive for the performance of phar-macokinetic and bioequivalence studies in humans. Ó 2018 Production and hosting by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of King Saud University. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

Insect pollinator diversity in four forested ecosystems of southern Punjab, Pakistan

This study investigated pollinator assemblage diversity and richness in four forested ecosystems ... more This study investigated pollinator assemblage diversity and richness in four forested ecosystems of southern Punjab, Pakistan, with different landscape types. Pirowal is situated in the plains of irrigated Punjab, Lal Suhanra is part of a sandy desert ecosystem, Ghazi Ghat is part of the Indus River delta, and Fort Munro is located in dry hilly mountains. A yearlong survey of pollinator populations was carried out in these four forested ecosystems from January to December of 2010. Fortnightly hand netting was performed for collecting flower-visiting insects whereas, pan traps of three colors (white, blue, and yellow) were deployed for collecting the data. A total of 8,812 individuals from two orders (Lepidoptera and Diptera) were observed, including 22 families and 154 species. Bees were the most abundant, with 4,502 individuals, and the most species-rich taxa, with 70 species in five families, followed by flies having 2,509 individuals and 51species in 10 families. Wasps were the least abundant with 1,801 individuals and 33 species in seven families. The assemblage structure of pollinator communities as visualized through rank abundance curves showed that there were many species with low abundance and only a few species with a much higher abundance. The most abundant species among the bees, in order, were Nomia sp.3,

Sensorial and physicochemical analysis of Indian honeys for assessment of quality and floral origins

Food Research International, 2018

In the present study, sensory and physicochemical properties of raw honey samples originating fro... more In the present study, sensory and physicochemical properties of raw honey samples originating from different floral sources of India were investigated. Sensory analysis was carried out by quantitative descriptive analysis method. Samples having higher scores for flowery aroma, amber colour together with less crystallization were perceived to be more desirable with greater acceptability. The values obtained for electrical conductivity (0.28–1.0 mS/cm), moisture content (18.37–22%), HMF content (3.65–23.16 mg/kg), free acidity (14.83–40.17 meq/kg), pH (3.81–4.85), ash (0.08–0.49%), specific gravity (1.39–1.42 g/cm2), total reducing sugars (64.91–71.39%) and protein content (0.16–0.70%) were within the criteria set by International regulations of quality. To classify and differentiate unifloral honeys originating from nine botanical origins, the data matrix was also subjected to principal component analysis. The overall results revealed that both the sensory and physicochemical properties of honey can be used as indicators not only of quality but also of origin.

Role of pollination in yield and physicochemical properties of tomatoes (Lycopersicon esculentum

Very little is known about pollination and its effects on the yield and physicochemical propertie... more Very little is known about pollination and its effects on the yield and physicochemical properties of flowering plants in tropical countries. Wind and insect pollinators are among our natural resources because pollination is the most important ecosystem service performed by wind and insects, and is vital to the socioeconomic status of human beings. In this experiment, different pollination methods for tomato plants were examined. Self-pollination was encouraged by covering the plants with a plastic sheet. Wind and insects were excluded from these plants, and thus only self-pollination was possible. The experiment occurred during the flowering stage. Wind-pollinated plants were covered with a muslin cloth, which excluded insects, and only wind could pass through the cloth. For insect pollination, plants remained uncovered, allowing free access to insects to pollinate the flowers. At fruit maturity, when fruits were completely red, fruits from each treatment were harvested on the same date and under the same conditions. Results illustrated the substantial importance of insects as pollinators of tomato crops. Open field had greater tomato yield and positive effects on physicochemical properties on fruit than under self and wind pollination.

Assemblage of pollinator communities in four widely isolated nature reserves of southern Punjab, Pakistan

Pollinators are key components of the global biodiversity, providing vital ecosystem services of ... more Pollinators are key components of the global biodiversity, providing vital ecosystem services of pollination to crops and wild plants. Understanding pollinator assemblage and how it changes spatially is important in order to device effective ecosystem management planning. This is the first empirical study to
explore pollinator community structure in four widely isolated nature reserves of southern Punjab,
Pakistan, i.e., the central agricultural plain (Pirowal Forest), the Indus delta plain (Ghazi Ghat
Wetland), hilly mountains (Fort Munro), and a sandy desert (Lal Suhanra Forest). Six assemblage parameters, i.e., abundance, richness, dominance, evenness, Simpson index, and Shannon-Wiener index, were
studied over seven consecutive months (February to August 2012). Maximum abundance and richness
of the pollinators were recorded at Ghazi Ghat (1354 individuals and 84 species), followed by Pirowal
(1331 individuals and 80 species), Lal Suhanra (1197 individuals and 77 species), and Fort Munro (808
individuals and 65 species). The highest values of Simpson and evenness indexes were recorded at
Fort Munro, while the Shannon-Wiener and dominance indexes were highest at Ghazi Ghat and
Pirowal. Species richness was highest for bees, while it was lowest for flies, yet the latter were the highest
in abundance among the four pollinator groups. The current study is a first account of pollinator assemblage structure in four widely isolated forest reserves of Punjab, Pakistan. This will support ecosystem
management planning, and opens doors for further research in order to reveal complexities in pollinator
assemblage structure especially in relation with plant communities

Validation of botanical origins and geographical sources of some Saudi honeys using ultraviolet spectroscopy and chemometric analysis

by Dr. Mohd. Javed Ansari and Abdulrahman A Roshan

This study aims at distinguishing honey based on botanical and geographical sources. Different fl... more This study aims at distinguishing honey based on botanical and geographical sources. Different floral honey samples were collected from diverse geographical locations of Saudi Arabia. UV spectroscopy in combination with chemometric analysis including Hierarchical Cluster Analysis (HCA), Principal Component Analysis (PCA), and Soft Independent Modeling of Class Analogy (SIMCA) were used to classify honey samples. HCA and PCA presented the initial clustering pattern to differentiate between botanical as well as geographical sources. The SIMCA model clearly separated the Ziziphus sp. and other monofloral honey samples based on different locations and botanical sources. The results successfully discriminated the honey samples of different botanical and geographical sources validating the segregation observed using few physicochemical parameters that are regularly used for discrimination.

Impact of insect pollinators on yield and fruit quality of strawberry

by Dr. Mohd. Javed Ansari and S. al-Kahtani

Investigations were conducted to determine the insect pollinators visiting strawberry blossoms an... more Investigations were conducted to determine the insect pollinators visiting strawberry blossoms and their impact on fruit production. Various pollinators observed during the blooming period of strawberry were viz. Apis mellifera, Apis cerana, Apis florea. Apis dorsata, soil nesting solitary bees such as Andrena leana and A. ilerda, butterflies, houseflies, syrphid flies and some beetles. The percentage of fruit set was much higher in open pollinated plants than control. There was 11.20 per cent malformed fruit in open polli-nated plots as compared to 17.44 per cent in controlled one. Further the fruits obtained from the open pollinated plants were of good quality and large as compared to the controlled plants. Growers are recommended to take advantage of the several pollinators, either the honey bee or the native pollinators (Syrphidae and native bees). The importance of diversifying pollination sources, avoiding the dependence on a single specific group is stressed. This study also suggests measures which envisage the conservation, establishment and increase of native pollinators' populations in the typical agro-ecosystem of region.

Honey: Single food stuff comprises many drugs

by Dr. Mohd. Javed Ansari and Syed Anjum

Honey is a natural food item produced by honey bees. Ancient civilizations considered honey as a ... more Honey is a natural food item produced by honey bees. Ancient civilizations considered honey as a God gifted prestigious product. Therefore, a huge literature is available regarding honey importance in almost all religions. Physically, honey is a viscous and jelly material having no specific color. Chemically, honey is a complex blend of many organic and inorganic compounds such as sugars, proteins, organic acids, pigments , minerals, and many other elements. Honey use as a therapeutic agent is as old as human civilization itself. Prior to the appearance of present day drugs, honey was conventionally used for treating many diseases. At this instant, the modern research has proven the medicinal importance of honey. It has broad spectrum antibiotic , anti-viral and anti-fungal activities. Honey prevents and kills microbes through different mechanism such as elevated pH and enzyme activities. Till now, no synthetic compound that works as anti-bacterial, anti-viral and anti-fungal drugs has been reported in honey yet it works against bacteria, viruses and fungi while no anti-protozoal activity has been reported. Potent anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-cancerous activities of honey have been reported. Honey is not only significant as anti-inflammatory drug that relieve inflammation but also protect liver by degenerative effects of synthetic anti-inflammatory drugs. This article reviews physico-chemical properties, traditional use of honey as medicine and mechanism of action of honey in the light of modern scientific medicinal knowledge.

Histopathological Impact in the Larval Gut of the Honeybee, Apis Mellifera Jemenitica, Upon Infection with the American Foulbrood Bacterium, Paenibacillus Larvae

by Dr. Mohd. Javed Ansari and Tahany Ayaad

Background: American foulbrood (AFB), caused by Paenibacillus larvae (P.larvae) bacterium, is one... more Background: American foulbrood (AFB), caused by Paenibacillus larvae (P.larvae) bacterium, is one of the major threatening disease to the global apiculture industry. This Apiary-threatening bacterium has recently been detected in some of the Saudi Apiaries. The current study herein was conducted to investigate the impact of the locally isolated P. larvae infection on the histological integrity of the alimentary tract of the indigenous Saudi honeybee brood, Apis mellifera jemenitica (A.mellifera jemenitica). Methods: The 1 st instar larvae were orally infected with the P. larvae. Non-infected (control) or infected (at 48 and 72h post-treatment) alimentary canals were dissected for histological investigations. Alimentary canals were separated into three parts; foregut (proventriculus), midgut (ventriculus) and hind gut (intestine) prior to histological investigation. Gut sections were subject to light and electron microscopy investigations at 48 and 72h post-infection. Results: Data showed histopathological alterations in the infected alimentary canal as early as 48h post-P. larvae infection. Infected proventriculus showed many vacuoles, separation of the epithelial layer and damage of circular muscles. Lacerations were observed in the basement membrane surrounding the midgut in the infected larvae. Vacuoles of different sizes were also observed in the hindgut of infected larvae. Moreover, aggregations of P. larvae bacterial cells were detected in the gut epithelium of infected larvae. At 72h post-P. larvae infection, infected broods showed separation and elongation of the midgut epithelial cells. These histological alterations may have led to the severe laceration observed in the layers of infected stomach. Finally, deterioration of muscular and epithelial layers of infected stomach was observed at 48h post-infection. In addition, increased vacuoles were also observed in the epithelial cells of the hindgut of infected larvae. These histological alterations have been confirmed on the subcellular level via transmission electron microscopy as it showed subcellular degradation in terms of degraded mitochondria and nuclei. Conclusion: These histopathological deteriorations are similar to that globally recorded in the AFB, and hence, provides warning alarm to the local authorities for taking immediate actions towards restricting the epidemics of this disease within the Saudi Apiaries. In parallel, utilizing the larval immune system against P. larvae infection is currently under investigation for producing natural pharmaceutical treatment of the AFB.

Effect of gut bacterial isolates from Apis mellifera jemenitica on Paenibacillus larvae infected bee larvae

The probiotic effects of seven newly isolated gut bacteria, from the indegenous honey bees of Sau... more The probiotic effects of seven newly isolated gut bacteria, from the indegenous honey bees of Saudi Arabia were investigated. In vivo bioassays were used to investigate the effects of each gut bacterium namely, Fructobacillus fructosus (T1), Proteus mirabilis (T2), Bacillus licheniformis (T3), Lactobacillus kunkeei (T4), Bacillus subtilis (T5), Enterobacter kobei (T6), and Morganella morganii (T7) on mortality percentage of honey bee larvae infected with P. larvae spores along with negative control (normal diet) and positive control (normal diet spiked with P. larvae spores). Addition of gut bacteria to the normal diet significantly reduced the mortality percentage of the treated groups. Mortality percentage in all treated groups ranged from 56.67% up to 86.67%. T6 treated group exhibited the highest mortality (86.67%), whereas T4 group showed the lowest mortality (56.67%). Among the seven gut bacterial treatments, T4 and T3 decreased the mortality 56.67% and 66.67%, respectively, whereas, for T2, T6, and T7 the mortality percentage was equal to that of the positive control (86.67%). Mortality percentages in infected larval groups treated with T1, and T5 were 78.33% and 73.33% respectively. Most of the mortality occurred in the treated larvae during days 2 and 3. Treatments T3 and T4 treatments showed positive effects and reduced mortality.