Les Eucalyptus Mellifères en Tunisie: Une richesse spécifique d'un grand intérêt apicole

Seven people from diverse scientific backgrounds gathered thanks to their shared interest in honey eucalyptus and, worked collectively. The book aimed to contribute to the promotion of beekeeping in Tunisia by highlighting the cultivation of the best-performing species of Eucalyptus, in a sustainable development perspective. This 230-page book, illustrated with several tables and decorated with many photos, is a rich source of knowledge about beekeeping in Tunisia. Structured in two parts, the first includes six chapters dealing with various aspects related to the beekeeping sector in Tunisia and the importance of eucalyptus as honey trees. The second part consists of a series of fact sheets describing Eucalyptus species.

The first chapter deals with the importance of the beekeeping sector in Tunisia, while the second chapter addresses the various introductions of eucalyptus attempted in the country, providing an overview of the size and development of the plantations, as well as the adaptive behavior of the species to the Tunisian conditions. The third and fourth chapters provide important details about the flowering of eucalyptus, supported by photos and patterns, considering the morphological, ecological aspects and their value as a source of nectar and pollen for bees. Following the monitoring of flowering in different arboretums, two floral calendars were developed for Tunisia, one monthly and the other seasonal. The physico-chemical, organoleptic and therapeutic characteristics of eucalyptus honey are explored in the fifth chapter. In order to promote the sustainable development of the beekeeping sector in Tunisia, the authors, in the sixth chapter, consider the creation of arboretums and the implementation of small planting projects, with the focus on honey eucalyptus, while proposing cultivation models adapted to each context.The second part of the book is devoted to detailed descriptive sheets of the 65 species of Eucalyptus that have been monitored during their owering. These factsheets, well illustrated, can serve as a guide for botanical identiication and assist in selecting species with abundant and widespread flowering, as well as good adaptation to the different agro-ecological conditions of the country.