https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/88343 2026-04-14T16:40:32Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/109403 Title: High genetic diversity detected in olives from the south Mediterranean basin Authors: Sion, Sara; Marilena Miazzi, Monica; Di Rienzo, Valentina; Fanelli, Valentina; Taranto​, Francesca; Montemurro, Cinzia; Pasqualone, Antonella; Zammit-Mangion, Marion; Sabetta, Wilma Abstract: The Olive tree (Olea europaea L.) is native to the Mediterranean basin where it shows a wide range of diversity accounting for about 2,000 cultivars. The ability to discriminate olive cultivars and estimate their genetic variability is pivotal not only for their management but also for an optimal exploitation of olive genetic resources. The purpose of this study was to investigate the genetic diversity of olive genotypes from Algeria, Syria and Italy including first time analysis of four Maltese olive genotypes, including the cultivar Leucocarpa and three ancient olives. Twelve highly polymorphic Simple Sequence Repeat markers were used and proved to be very informative, with a total of 174 alleles with sizes ranging from 110 bp (DCA13) to 268 bp (DCA15), and extensive polymorphism among the genotypes. The principal coordinates analysis (PCoA) was able to group the cultivars into three distinct populations according to their geographic origin, except for the Maltese genotypes, that grouped with the Italian ones. The Analysis of the Molecular Variance revealed a high percentage of molecular variance within populations (73%), with 27% of variance at inter-population level. This study will be useful for a better understanding of the olive genetic diversity in the Mediterranean basin, as a step towards an optimal conservation of olive genetic resources. 2017-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/109400 Title: Resultados do inquérito aos apicultores realizado no âmbito do projeto MEDIBEES Authors: Henriques, Dora; Zammit-Mangion, Marion; Martín-Hernandez, Raquel; Pinto, M. Alice Abstract: No âmbito do projeto MEDIBEES - Monitorização das subespécies de abelhas do Mediterrâneo e a sua resiliência às mudanças climáticas para o melhoramento sustentável dos agroecossistemas – realizou-se um inquérito, entre outubro e novembro de 2021, com o objetivo ultimo de se caracterizar e compreender a atividade apícola e os seus principais problemas em Portugal, relativamente a outros países da bacia Mediterrânea. Este inquérito foi simultaneamente implementado em Espanha, Itália, Malta, Turquia, Argélia, Líbano e Jordânia, países parceiros no consorcio MEDIBEES. O inquérito foi divulgado em Portugal através de correio eletrónico, enviado para todas as associações de apicultores listadas no portal da FNAP, do Facebook e de contactos telefónicos. 2022-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/109399 Title: Subspecies and their resilience to climate change for the improvement of sustainable agro-ecosystems Authors: Martín-Hernández, Raquel; Nanetti, Antonio; Pinto, M. Alice; Noureddine, Adjlane; Haddad, Nizar Jamal; Hosri, Chadi; Necati, Mustapha; Zammit-Mangion, Marion; Douar Ahmad, Yousef; Soledad, Sagastume Abstract: Beekeeping provides a livelihood for hundreds of thousands of beekeepers in the Mediterranean area. This activity relies on a number of different indigenous subspecies, adapted to the very diverse and harsh conditions of the region. Climate change is expected to increase the stress factors affecting bees, especially in this region, reducing both pollination efficiency and production potential. Unfortunately, our ability to address this problem is limited by the incomplete knowledge of the natural adaptation mechanisms developed by the different subspecies. In order to increase the knowledge base for future selection programs to improve bee populations for environmental changes, the MEDIBEES project is being developed. It includes 9 partners from 8 Mediterranean countries on all three shores of the Mediterranean, covering 10 local subspecies of A. mellifera, which represents a remarkable and poorly known proportion of the genetic diversity. The project aims to: a) unravel the differential genetic background of Mediterranean subspecies, b) understand their adaptation to local conditions, and c) characterize their resistance to climate change. To achieve the objectives, colonies belonging to the local subspecies will be studied phenotypically to determine their behavior under environmental conditions, covering survival, sensitivity to pests/pathogens, behavior, physiology and reproduction which will be completed by gene expression and transcriptomic assays. In addition, complete genomes of field and laboratory samples will be sequenced to find genes putatively involved in adaptation and to develop new genetic tools to characterize honey bee populations according to their resistance to environmental stress factors. This effort will encourage the use of local subspecies, to make them more attractive and avoid importing foreign breeds, and will lay the foundation for future selection programs. Besides, the valorization of honey by both promoting its use and developing quality labels, and the evaluation of beekeeping by-products as modifiers of soil fertility and biota are also approached to help the beekeepers improve the sustainability of their farms in an economical and environmental sound manner. 2022-01-01T00:00:00Z https://www.um.edu.mt/library/oar/handle/123456789/109398 Title: Beekeeping in the Mediterranean : a medibees survey on practices, trends and challenges Authors: Zammit-Mangion, Marion; Martín-Hernández, Raquel; Nanetti, Antonio; Pinto, M. Alice; Adjlane, Noureddine; Anwer, Asmaa; Haddad, Nizar; Hosri, Chadi; Muz, Mustafa Necati; Daour, Ahmad Yousef; Sagastume, Soledad Abstract: MEDIBEES is a PRIMA funded project that aims to identify honeybee colonies and subspecies that are most resilient to climate change and common pathogens throughout the Mediterranean region. Honeybees are critical to sustainable agricultural systems and the project aims to contribute to sustainability in the context of the increased desertification of the region due to climate change. As part of this project an intensive investigation of beekeeping was carried out within the consortium, with the objectives of 1) understanding the main practices in place, 2) identifying trends and challenges faced by beekeepers. This would help guide the consortium in framing research questions that are rooted in the requirements of the stakeholders. A questionnaire was therefore developed and circulated among beekeepers from Algeria, Egypt, Italy, Jordan, Lebanon, Malta, Portugal, Spain and Turkey in late June 2021. To date, over 1300 detailed responses have been collected. This study has yielded an important first profile of the nature of the apicultural industry for many of these participating countries. In this presentation, a description of the socio-demographics and the diverse management practice in place among beekeepers across the Mediterranean will be presented. In addition, important first-time data on the distribution of hives, the main sources of losses including current biotic and abiotic threats, the characteristics and ecological trends of both native and introduced honey bee subspecies in the different geographical regions will be described as experienced by the major stakeholders ie beekeepers. Finally, notably and overwhelmingly, beekeepers from the Mediterranean region list changes in weather patterns as the major factor affecting colony losses and profitability. This was followed closely by indiscriminant use of agricultural insecticides and urbanisation. 2022-01-01T00:00:00Z