Wing Geometric Morphometry as a Tool for Selecting Apis mellifera Colonies with High Genetic Diversity and Enhanced Productivity

This study examines genetic diversity in Apis mellifera colonies by focusing on the relationship between intra-colony genetic diversity (IGD) and various productivity metrics, as well as tolerance to Nosema disease. Through geometric morphometric analysis of wing shape, 14 colonies headed by queens from five different breeders in Argentina were characterized, identifying their similarity to different A. mellifera subspecies, and were classified as high and low IGD. After one year of monitoring, colonies with high genetic diversity showed substantial increases in adult population (+32.4%), brood area (+15.2%), honey reserves (+49.2%), and pollen stores (+20.6%), with the most pronounced benefits observed in early spring following winter. No significant differences in Nosema spp. spore counts were detected between colonies of high and low genetic diversity, suggesting that IGD does not necessarily confer increased resistance to this pathogen under the studied conditions. These findings support the use of wing morphometry as a practical tool for identifying colonies with high genetic diversity, which may help improve productivity and guide queen selection in breeding programs. Furthermore, possible differences in colony fitness as a function of climatic conditions, resource availability and subspecies diversity at different latitudes are discussed.