the importance of apiculture

The Importance of Apiculture, ABIC 2010

The Importance of ApicultureThe Importance of Apiculture

Albert J. RobertsonAlbert J. Robertson

Meadow Ridge EnterprisesMeadow Ridge Enterprises


OutlineOutline

Definition of apicultureDefinition of apiculture Importance of honey bees and apiculture practicesImportance of honey bees and apiculture practices Honey bee health issuesHoney bee health issues The Saskatraz projectThe Saskatraz project


ApicultureApiculture Apiculture is the management and study of Apiculture is the management and study of

domesticated honey bees (Apis Mellifera).domesticated honey bees (Apis Mellifera). A critically important profession for secure and sustain A critically important profession for secure and sustain

the world’s food supply.the world’s food supply.


Responsible for 1/3 of the world’s food supply by Responsible for 1/3 of the world’s food supply by pollination of more than 90-100 species of pollination of more than 90-100 species of flowering plants (Greenleaf and Kremer, 2006, flowering plants (Greenleaf and Kremer, 2006, PNAS, 103: 13890)PNAS, 103: 13890)

Worldwide economic value to food production of Worldwide economic value to food production of 50-100 billion USD annually with little or no 50-100 billion USD annually with little or no “carbon footprint” (Dr. Phippes, Apitrack website)“carbon footprint” (Dr. Phippes, Apitrack website)

Indicators of the health of their surrounding Indicators of the health of their surrounding ecosystem. Essential for the preservation and ecosystem. Essential for the preservation and sustainability of wild species of flowering plants.sustainability of wild species of flowering plants.

Used for prospecting and detecting land mines.Used for prospecting and detecting land mines.

Importance of Honey bees and Apicultural Practices


Involved with collection of valuable hive products.Involved with collection of valuable hive products. HoneyHoney

most “green” sweetener; more evidence of health benefits most “green” sweetener; more evidence of health benefits accumulating (Dr. Ron Fessenden, accumulating (Dr. Ron Fessenden, www.foodnavigator-usa.com) diabetes, weight loss, cognitive ) diabetes, weight loss, cognitive function, wound healing, chemotherapy induced function, wound healing, chemotherapy induced neutropenia, cough suppression, antioxidant source.neutropenia, cough suppression, antioxidant source.

Wax Wax Long chain aliphatic alcohol (30-32 C)Long chain aliphatic alcohol (30-32 C) Cloned gene involved in bee wax synthesis from SAT-28. Cloned gene involved in bee wax synthesis from SAT-28.

Prapanan Teerawanichpan, Albert J. Robertson, Xiao Qui, Prapanan Teerawanichpan, Albert J. Robertson, Xiao Qui, 2010, Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology 40; 641-2010, Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology 40; 641-649649..

Pollen, propolis, royal jelly, bee venom (apitherapy)Pollen, propolis, royal jelly, bee venom (apitherapy)

Apicultural Practices


In the media since 2007, Colony Collapse Disorder In the media since 2007, Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD). Increased and continued decline in honey bee (CCD). Increased and continued decline in honey bee populations throughout the world is of serious concernpopulations throughout the world is of serious concern..

Possible Causes:Possible Causes: Parasitic mites (Varroa Destructor)Parasitic mites (Varroa Destructor)

Apis cerana Apis cerana Apis mellifera Apis mellifera Pathogens (viruses and microsporidia) associated with the Pathogens (viruses and microsporidia) associated with the

mitesmites Synthetic chemical miticide treatmentsSynthetic chemical miticide treatments

Residues, mite resistance, decreased natural immunity and Residues, mite resistance, decreased natural immunity and suppression of the development of natural resistance to mitessuppression of the development of natural resistance to mites

Lack of genetic diversity in the managed bee Lack of genetic diversity in the managed bee population.population.

Compounded by poor apicultural practices and Compounded by poor apicultural practices and agricultural pesticide uses (nicotinoids)agricultural pesticide uses (nicotinoids)

Honey Bee Health Issues


Varroa Mites in Pupae


Scanning Electron Micrographs of Varroa Mite


Established in 2004 in collaboration with Established in 2004 in collaboration with Saskatchewan and Manitoba queen breeders.Saskatchewan and Manitoba queen breeders.

Involved assembling a large diverse gene pool at Involved assembling a large diverse gene pool at an isolated apiary called Saskatraz.an isolated apiary called Saskatraz.

Aimed at using natural selection (no synthetic Aimed at using natural selection (no synthetic chemical miticides) to select for honey bee chemical miticides) to select for honey bee genotypes with tolerance to parasitic mites.genotypes with tolerance to parasitic mites.

The Saskatraz ProjectSBA Honey Bee Breeding Program

The Saskatraz ProjectThe Saskatraz ProjectObjective: To develop productive, gentle honeybees

with tolerance to mites and brood diseasesBy: Albert J. Robertson

SBA Honeybee Breeding Program

Summer 2004-05


Letters A to G represent isolated apiaries and the year of establishment at Meadow Ridge. Solid arrows indicate genetically diverse gene (GD) flow into

Saskatraz, dashed arrows gene flow out of Saskatraz. (ii) denotes instrumental insemination. RC denotes recurrent selection. 1Denotes no chemical miticides.

Saskatraz Breeding Program Logistics

certified

Saskatraz“Natural Selection1 and Evaluation”

(2004-09)

AMeadow Ridge (MR)

Closed BreedingPopulation

(1992-2003)

BFive Isolated

Russian ApiariesBlue 40, Green, Purple 30Yellow (2001-05) at MR

EColonies selected (127) bySK beekeepers (34), MR (83)Over 6 years(representing selections from > 50,000 colonies)(2004-2009)

GSaskatraz satellite yards at MR 2006-09(reselected elitebreeding lines forclosed populationmating and stock maintenance)

FCommercial QueenBreeders and Beekeepers(2005-2009)(4200 queen cells, 67 breeder queensdistributed between 2006-09)

CRussian/German hybrids (ii)

UM/German hybrids (ii)NWC crosses (open mated and ii)

(2006) Constructed at MR

DCanadian hygienic

Lines (TSQ)Crossed with

Russian and UM(2005) Constructed at MR

RC

certifiedRC

GD

GD

GD

GD


Saskatraz natural selection yard site fall 2006 – fenced.Selection for this Saskatraz yard site is a death sentence.


Primary Selection Criteria:

1. Honey Production2. Wintering Ability3. Mite Resistance and Suppression4. Resistance to Brood Diseases

(chalk brood, foul brood and virus susceptibility)

Breeding methods used to select and enrich for important traits (natural selection, back crossing, recurrent selection and progeny

analyses).


September 2006

These bees look good, but they are dying.


Colony (2004)

VirusMay

2005June 2005

July 2005

Aug. 2005

Sept. 2005

Oct. 2005

May 2006

June 2006

July 2006

Aug. 2006

Sept. 2006

Oct. 2006

SAT 01DWVIAPVKBV

−−−

−−−

+−−

+−−

+−−

−−−

++−

+−−

+++

−++

+++

Dead

SAT 24DWVIAPVKBV

+−−

−

−

+−−

+−−

+−−

+−−

−−−

−−−

++−

Dead Dead Dead

SAT 28DWVIAPVKBV

+−−

−−−

+−−

−−−

+−−

++−

+−−

−−−

+++

−++

+++

SAT 30DWVIAPVKBV

−−−

+−−

+−−

+−−

+−−

−−−

−−−

−+−

−−−

+++

−++

−++

SAT 34DWVIAPVKBV

++−

+−−

++−

−−−

−−−

+++

−−−

−++

+++

−++

Saskatraz Apiary

%T%V

0.33−

0.640.06

1.51.6

0.51

0.33.3

0.723.9

0.915

0.7532

Pandemic

Varroa (ND 2005-2006) Were Sampled From All Saskatraz Colonies To Monitor Virus Infection Status of the Varroa Population and Host

Colony.

−

−

−

3

1

− − − −

−

−

3 1 7 2

− −

−

1 9

− 2 − − 3 4

− − − − − −

− −

−

1.2 7 1 9 31

− 1.3 − 17 3 33

− − − 12 46

− − 0.9 − 3 10 26 95

− 0.75 − 5 11 26


Progeny Analyses of Selected Breeders and Progeny Analyses of Selected Breeders and Non-Selected ColoniesNon-Selected Colonies

•Grooming Assays•Hygienic Behaviour (VSH phenotypes)•Morphometric Analyses•Molecular Marker Analyses•Selecting for variability in virus susceptibility


Grooming Assay


Varroa Mite

Hygienic Behaviour Analyses


German (4)

Unknown

Canadian

Russian

New Zealand

A three dimensional plot showing the grouping of 5 different honeybee populations using 20 informative microsatellite markers.


Selecting for Variability in Virus Susceptibility ofSaskatraz Breeding Lines


Percent of brood cells infested with varroa at Saskatraz on Sept. 16, 2008.(Red bars indicate colonies showing virus infections)

Values plotted are mean, error bars are SE.


Screening of Pre-Emergent Pupae From Varroa Tolerant and Sensitive Saskatraz Breeding Lines for IAPV using RT-PCR


Summary

Natural Selection coupled with effective breeding Natural Selection coupled with effective breeding procedures show promise in improving the productivity, procedures show promise in improving the productivity, health and sustainability of the domesticated honey bee.health and sustainability of the domesticated honey bee.

Positive selection pressure without the use of synthetic Positive selection pressure without the use of synthetic chemical miticides, should allow natural genetic chemical miticides, should allow natural genetic processes to improve tolerance to mites and other processes to improve tolerance to mites and other pathogens (viruses, bacteria, fungi).pathogens (viruses, bacteria, fungi).

Apiculture practices should focus more on genetics, Apiculture practices should focus more on genetics, breeding and biotechnology to help obtain sustainability breeding and biotechnology to help obtain sustainability of honey bee populations.of honey bee populations.


Acknowledgements•Saskatchewan Agriculture (ADF), Agriculture Council of Saskatchewan (MB, AB, BC and Yukon), Meadow Ridge Ent. Ltd., SBA and CBRF•GenServe Labs (Dr. G. Brown, Bruce Mann, Dr. Yves Plante, Dale Kelly, and Dr. Steven Creighton, SRC)•VIDO (Dr. Philip Griebel and Wayne Connor)•University of Saskatchewan Food and Bioproducts (Dr. Xiao Qiu and San Jei)•Mohommad Mostejeran (Research associate 2008-present)•Dr. Filipe Brizuela (Research associate summer 2008-09)• Saskatchewan Bee Keeper Colony Donators & Contributors• Dr. Abdullah Ibrahim (Research associate, summer 2007)• John Pedersen – breeder stock multiplication and selection (2006)• Eric Pedersen, Lyse Boisvert, Matthew Polinsky and Vika Cummins –

summer student (2005-2008)• Family members & Meadow Ridge staff: Tom, Jenny, and Cecilia Robertson, Neil Morrison, Rob Peace.• Collaborators: John Gruszka (P.A.Sask) Dr. Solignac (Paris, France), Dr.

Ralph Buchler (Germany), Dr. Rob Currie (U of M), and Manitoba Queen Breeders Association, Dr. S. Pernal (ACC, AB), Drs. T.

Rinderer, & R. Danka (Baton Rouge, LA), S. Cobey (Davis, CA), BC Queen Breeders Association (T&E Huxter), Geoff Wilson (P.A. Sask).

the importance of apiculture

Documents

saskatraz colonies

saskatraz projectobjective

saskatraz yard site

recurrent selection

summarynatural selection

brood diseasesby

foul brood

primary selection criteria