Using geographical information system and remote sensing analysis to detect resin-rich areas for propolis production from apiaries

Propolis (bee glue) is considered among bee products with medicinal properties. The majority of plants in Egypt are field crops which cultivated by farmers. Such crops may supply bee colonies with nectar/pollen, but are not good sources for resin due to their short life cycles. This study aimed to explore potential sites for producing high amounts of propolis from bee colonies based on a remote sensing analysis. The study was performed on a Governorate with intensive agricultural activity in Egypt (Assiut Governorate). The methodology depended on isolating trees from the satellite image using unsupervised classification followed by supervised classification based on numerous geographical coordinates of trees. Trees were transferred into points, and then point density was calculated to classify the study location into classes according to density. Sites with the very high numbers of trees were especially recommended for producing propolis on a commercial scale by beekeepers. Giving more attention to propolis production can enhance the income of beekeepers and maximize the economic benefit from bee colonies.