SPIRULINA: The Magic Food
Genene Tefera, DVM, PhD
Microbial Genetic Resources Department, Instititute of Biodiversity Conservation
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, January, 2009

The name spirulina comes from a Latin word meaning tiny spiral. Spirulina is microscopic, spiral-shaped, vegetable bacteria. Spirulina is a genus of the phylum Cyanobacteriawhich are classified as bacteria. Even though it is single-celled attaining sizes of 0.5 millimeters in length, which makes some individual spirulina cells visible to the naked eye. There are several species of spirulina. The ones most commonly used in nutritional supplements are Spirulina platensis and Spirulina maxima.

Importance of hived honeybee colony for pollen trapping and collection: the possible way of ex-situ gene conservation
DEBISSA LEMESSA1• AND ADMASSU ADDI2
1.Institute of Biodiversity Conservation Phone: 0911390025, lemdeb@yahoo.com
2.Holota Bee Research Center, admerti@yahoo.com

Abstract
Diverse climatic and edaphic variability endowed Ethiopia with diverse and unique flowering plants. Flowering plants and honeybees have a well-developed system of interdependence. The evaluation of the possible use of hived honeybee colony for collecting pollen for ex-situ genetic conservation through pollen storage was studied at Managesha state forest. The study area is located in west showa zone of Oromia region. For the study two Zander beehives were placed at the Managasha state forest for pollen collection. The pollen traps of 16 % efficiency were fitted to the entrance of the two box beehives for four days in a week for pollen collection from February 2005 to January 2006. The pollen pellets were collected using paper bags. Finally, the freshly collected bee pollen was first dried using sun drying, weighed, assorted by color and identified. The result of the study indicated that, the bee pollen loads of twenty-two plant species belonging to thirteen families were collected with different proportions. Finally, from the present study, the mechanism of using hived honeybee colony for pollen collection for pollen storage as ex-situ gene conservation tool was recommended.

Institute of Biodiversity Conservation and Research
P.O.Box 30726, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Email: bellwassihun@yahoo.com

Ecosystem conservation and Research Department
Institute of Biodiversity Conservation,
E-mail: getachewtesfaye@ibc-et.org,
P.O. Box 25680-1000, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Ecosystem conservation and Research Department
Institute of Biodiversity Conservation,
E-mail: getachewtesfaye@ibc-et.org,
P.O. Box 25680-1000, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Ecosystem conservation and Research Department
Institute of Biodiversity Conservation,
E-mail: berihungm@ibc-et.org,
P.O. Box 25680-1000, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

1Addis Ababa University, National Herbarium
E-mail: anthil2005@yahoo.com ;

2Institute of Biodiversity Conservation,
Forage and Pasture Department;
E-mail: feavenw@ibc-et.org

Head, Crop Genetic Resources Department
Institute of Biodiversity Conservation,
E-mail: adugnaa@ibc-et.org,
P.O. Box 30726, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Head, Medicinal Plants Genetic Resources Department
Institute of Biodiversity Conservation,
E-mail: bellwassihun@ibc-et.org,
P.O. Box 30726, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Head, Ethnobiology Department
Institute of Biodiversity Conservation,
E-mail: balemik@ibc-et.org,
P.O. Box 30726, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia