Metabarcoding in Diet Assessment of Heterotrigona itama Based on trnL Marker towards Domestication Program

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Heterotrigona itama is the most abundant stingless bee species commonly found in many ecosystems and is actively domesticated in the meliponiculture industry. In this research, the honey quality is the main criterion to be evaluated and is correlated with the plant species that the bees consume as their main diet. The objective of this study was to investigate the diet of H. itama derived from 12 populations in Malaysia. As a result, five plant phyla and 70 plant families with 262 species were obtained, of which four species were the abundant species consumed by H. itama. These findings are very valuable for strategizing the management of the H. itama domestication process specifically in a mono-cropping system and in a netted structure. ABSTRACT: Honey quality is the main criterion used for evaluating honey production in the stingless bee Heterotrigona itama, and it is correlated with the plant species consumed as its main diet. The objective of this study was to obtain the metabarcode data from 12 populations of H. itama species throughout Malaysia (Borneo and Peninsular Malaysia) using the trnL marker. A total of 262 species under 70 families and five phyla of plants were foraged by H. itama in the studied populations. Spermatophyta and Magnoliophyta were recorded as the two most abundant phyla foraged, at 55.95% and 32.39%, respectively. Four species, Garcinia oblongifolia, Muntingia calabura, Mallotus pellatus, and Pinus squamata, occurred abundantly and were consumed by H. itama in all the populations. These data are considered as a fundamental finding that is specific to the diet of H. itama for strategizing the management of the domestication process specifically in a mono-cropping system and in a netted structure. Thus, based on these findings, we recommend Momordica charantia, Melastoma sp., and Cucumis sativa as the best choices of food plant species to be planted and utilized by H. itama in meliponiculture.