Yes, for eligible Tennessee beekeepers while grant funding and sample capacity are available. The cost is being subsidized through support from HoneyBee Tennessee.
At this stage, participation is limited to beekeepers with honey produced in Tennessee.
A minimum of 3 oz is needed per sample.
DNA metabarcoding is a technique that uses DNA sequencing to identify biological material present in a sample. In this project, we analyze DNA found in honey to identify plants represented in the sample. This approach allows us to detect many plant taxa simultaneously and provides insight into the floral resources visited by honey bees.
The report is intended for education, outreach, apiary management, and research. Any commercial labeling or marketing claims should be made carefully and should not overstate what DNA metabarcoding can prove.
No. DNA metabarcoding and pollen microscopy provide different kinds of information. DNA methods can detect many taxa efficiently, but they do not always translate directly into pollen grain counts or nectar contribution.
For best results, honey should be collected using clean equipment and placed in a clean container. Raw, unfiltered honey is needed to provide the best results.
Yes. You may submit up to 10 samples for analysis. However, providing accurate information about the source of the honey helps improve interpretation of the results.
The analysis may identify a wide range of flowering plants represented in the honey sample. Depending on the quality of the DNA and available reference sequences, some results may be identified to species, while others may only be identified to genus, family, or broader taxonomic groups.
No. DNA metabarcoding does not always allow species-level identification. Some closely related species share similar DNA sequences, making it difficult to distinguish between them with certainty. When species-level identification is not possible, results may be reported at a higher taxonomic level.
No. The analysis identifies plants whose DNA was detected in the honey, but it cannot determine the exact location where bees collected nectar or pollen. The results provide information about floral resources represented in the honey sample rather than precise foraging locations.
No. Relative abundance values reflect the amount of DNA detected during sequencing and should not be interpreted as exact percentages of nectar contribution. The results provide a useful indication of which plants are represented in the sample but do not measure nectar contribution directly.
DNA metabarcoding is a powerful scientific tool that has been widely used to study plant-pollinator interactions and honey composition. However, as with any scientific method, results depend on factors such as DNA quality, reference database coverage, and the biological characteristics of the sample. Reports should be viewed as a scientifically informed representation of the plants detected in the honey.
Turnaround time depends on the number of samples received, laboratory processing schedules, and sequencing availability. Average time has ranged from 3 to 6 months.
Participant contact information and sample records will be maintained securely and used only for project administration, communication of results, and approved research purposes. Individual participant information will not be publicly released without permission.
Honey samples may be retained for quality control, method development, educational purposes, or future research related to honey DNA analysis. Any future use will follow applicable institutional policies and research guidelines.
At this time, participants will receive an interpreted Honey DNA report rather than raw sequencing files. The report is designed to provide clear, useful information without requiring specialized bioinformatics expertise.
The Tennessee Tech Honey DNA Project is conducted by Dr. Carla Hurt and Dr. Shawn Krosnick at Tennessee Tech University in partnership with HoneyBee Tennessee. The project aims to provide Tennessee beekeepers with information about the floral resources represented in their honey while contributing to a broader understanding of bee forage resources across the state.
If you have questions about sample submission, eligibility, results, or the project, please contact us through the information provided on the Contact page.