The effects of different beehives on propolis production and quality

Abstract The present study was conducted to investigate the effects of wood, styrofoam and plastic beehives on propolis production and phenolic content. In this study, propolis was obtained in three different periods as follows: before, during and after honey production. The yield and quality of the collected raw propolis samples were analyzed. Total phenolic (TP) content, total tannin (TT) content, total antioxidant capacity (FRAP) and phenolic composition were determined as propolis quality parameters. The highest propolis production was determined in wood beehives, followed by styrofoam and plastic beehives in this study. The analysis of temporal propolis production demonstrated that 9.29 ± 11.37 g was produced in post-season, 2.88 ± 4.48 g was produced in the season, and 1.23 ± 0.80 g was produced in pre-season. Duncan and LSD multiple comparison tests, which were conducted to compare the hive groups and the collection periods, demonstrated that the differences were statistically significant (p < 0.05). Furthermore, the highest TP and FRAP values were found in plastic beehives, suggesting that the propolis phenolic content and antioxidant capacity varied based on the hive type and collection period.