Cutting corners: The impact of storage and DNA extraction on quality and quantity of DNA in honeybee () spermatheca.

The purpose of our study was to investigate methods of short-term storage that allow preservation, transport and retrieval of genetic information contained in honeybee queen's spermatheca. Genotyping of the honeybee colony requires well ahead planned sample collection, depending on the type of data to be acquired. Sampling and genotyping of spermatheca's content instead of individual offspring is timesaving, allowing answers to the questions related to patriline composition immediately after mating.

Non-Destructive Genotyping of Honeybee Queens to Support Selection and Breeding.

In traditional bee breeding, the honeybee queen is chosen for breeding based on the performance of the colony produced by its mother. However, we cannot be entirely certain that a specific queen will produce offspring with desirable traits until we observe the young queen's new colony. Collecting the queen's genetic material enables quick and reliable determination of the relevant information.