Physiological responses of the stingless bee Partamona helleri to oral exposure to three agrochemicals: impact on antioxidant enzymes and hemocyte count.

Agrochemicals pose significant threats to the survival of bees, yet the physiological impacts of sublethal doses on stingless bees remain poorly understood. This study investigated the effects of acute oral exposure to three commercial formulations of agrochemicals [CuSO (leaf fertilizer), glyphosate (herbicide), and spinosad (bioinsecticide)] on antioxidant enzymes, malondialdehyde content (MDA), nitric oxide (NO) levels, and total hemocyte count (THC) in the stingless bee Partamona helleri. Foragers were exposed to lethal concentrations aimed to kill 5% (LC) of CuSO (120 μg mL) or spinosad (0.85 μg mL) over a 24-h period. Glyphosate-exposed bees received the recommended label concentration (7400 μg mL), as they exhibited 100% survival after exposure. Ingestion of CuSO or glyphosate-treated diets by bees was reduced. Levels of NO and catalase (CAT) remained unaffected at 0 h or 24 h post-exposure. Superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity was higher at 0 h compared to 24 h, although insignificantly so when compared to the control. Exposure to CuSO reduced glutathione S-transferase (GST) activity at 0 h but increased it after 24 h, for both CuSO and glyphosate. MDA levels decreased after 0 h exposure to CuSO or spinosad but increased after 24 h exposure to all tested agrochemicals. THC showed no difference among glyphosate or spinosad compared to the control or across time. However, CuSO exposure significantly increased THC. These findings shed light on the physiological responses of stingless bees to agrochemicals, crucial for understanding their overall health.