The Importance of Apiculture - ABIC Web Presentations/Sustan... · The Importance of Apiculture, ... Cumulative Varroa Mite Drop 2006 SAT 04 SAT 14 SAT 17 SAT 23 ... 2006 Aug. 2006

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�� Honey bee health issuesHoney bee health issues

�� The The SaskatrazSaskatraz projectproject


ApicultureApiculture

�� Apiculture is the management and study of Apiculture is the management and study of

domesticated honey bees (domesticated honey bees (ApisApis MelliferaMellifera).).

�� 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 90pollination of more than 90--100 species of 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

5050--100 billion USD annually with little or no 100 billion USD annually with little or no

Importance of Honey bees and Apicultural Practices

5050--100 billion USD annually with little or no 100 billion USD annually with little or no

“carbon footprint” (Dr. “carbon footprint” (Dr. PhippesPhippes, , ApitrackApitrack website)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.


�� 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.foodnavigatorwww.foodnavigator--

usa.comusa.com) diabetes, weight loss, cognitive function, wound ) diabetes, weight loss, cognitive function, wound

healing, chemotherapy induced healing, chemotherapy induced neutropenianeutropenia, cough , cough

suppression, antioxidant source.suppression, antioxidant source.

Apicultural Practices

suppression, antioxidant source.suppression, antioxidant source.

�� Wax Wax

�� Long chain aliphatic alcohol (30Long chain aliphatic alcohol (30--32 C)32 C)

�� Cloned gene involved in bee wax synthesis from SATCloned gene involved in bee wax synthesis from SAT--28. 28.

PrapananPrapanan TeerawanichpanTeerawanichpan, Albert J. Robertson, Xiao Qui, , Albert J. Robertson, Xiao Qui,

2010, Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology 40; 6412010, Insect Biochemistry and Molecular Biology 40; 641--

649649..

�� Pollen, Pollen, propolispropolis, royal jelly, bee venom (, royal jelly, bee venom (apitherapyapitherapy))


�� 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 (Parasitic mites (VarroaVarroa Destructor)Destructor)

�� ApisApis ceranacerana →→ ApisApis melliferamellifera

�� Pathogens (viruses and Pathogens (viruses and microsporidiamicrosporidia) associated with the ) associated with the

Honey Bee Health Issues

�� Pathogens (viruses and Pathogens (viruses and microsporidiamicrosporidia) associated with the ) associated with the

mitesmites

�� Synthetic chemical Synthetic chemical miticidemiticide treatmentstreatments

�� 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 (agricultural pesticide uses (nicotinoidsnicotinoids))


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

The Saskatraz Project

SBA Honey Bee Breeding Program

�� Involved assembling a large diverse gene pool at Involved assembling a large diverse gene pool at

an isolated apiary called an isolated apiary called SaskatrazSaskatraz..

�� Aimed at using natural selection (no synthetic Aimed at using natural selection (no synthetic

chemical chemical miticidesmiticides) to select for honey bee ) to select for honey bee

genotypes with tolerance to parasitic mites.genotypes with tolerance to parasitic mites.

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

tolerance to mites and brood diseases

By: Albert J. Robertson

SBA Honeybee Breeding Program

Summer 2004-05



Saskatraz Breeding Program Logistics

Saskatraz

“Natural Selection1 and Evaluation”

(2004-09)

AMeadow Ridge (MR)

Closed Breeding

Population

(1992-2003)

BFive Isolated

Russian Apiaries

Blue 40, Green, Purple 30

Yellow (2001-05) at MR

GSaskatraz satellite yards

at MR 2006-09

(reselected elite

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

RC

GD

GD

GD

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.

certified

(2004-09)

EColonies selected (127) by

SK beekeepers (34), MR (83)

Over 6 years

(representing selections from > 50,000 colonies)

(2004-2009)

(reselected elite

breeding lines for

closed population

mating and stock maintenance)

FCommercial Queen

Breeders and Beekeepers

(2005-2009)

(4200 queen cells, 67 breeder queens

distributed between 2006-09)

Russian and UM

(2005) Constructed at MR

certifiedRC GD


Saskatraz natural selection yard site fall 2006 – fenced.

Selection for this Saskatraz yard site is a death sentence.


Primary Selection Criteria:

1. Honey Production

2. Wintering Ability

3. Mite Resistance and Suppression

4. Resistance to Brood Diseases

(chalk brood, foul brood and virus

4. 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).


211

89

230

142

336370

299

371

204

252 250

152

344

103 108

374

112

302

189

330

376

442

254

0

100

200

300

400

500

85 108 109 88 112 110 111 113 116 114 115 118 119 120 117 121 96 122 123 124 126 125Mean

Ho

ne

y, lb

s

Colony ID

Saskatraz Honey Production in 2009

1252

181

4970

540145 62 136 189 85 10

209 88 20218 11 48

544124 21 76

3482

237574

0

1000

2000

3000

4000

5000

6000

85 108 109 88 112 110 111 113 116 114 115 118 119 120 117 121 96 122 123 124 126 125Mean

Tota

l V

arr

oa

Dro

p

Colony ID

2009 Saskatraz Total Varroa Drop (Jul25- Nov.6 2009)


100

120

140

160

180

200

% H

on

ey

Pro

du

ctio

nSaskatraz Honey Production as a % of Provincial and Meadow Ridge Hive

Production (2005-2009)

0

20

40

60

80

100

2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 Mean

% H

on

ey

Pro

du

ctio

n

Year

% of Prov.

% of MR


20000

30000

40000

Cu

mu

lati

ve

Va

rro

a C

ou

nt

Cumulative Varroa Mite Drop 2006

SAT 04

SAT 14

SAT 17

SAT 23

SAT 24

SAT 04

SAT 14

SAT 30

SAT 17

SAT 31

SAT 28

0

10000

0 50 100 150 200

Cu

mu

lati

ve

Va

rro

a C

ou

nt

Days

SAT 23

SAT 28

SAT 30

SAT 31

SAT 34

SAT 24

SAT 28

SAT 34

(May 23) (July 12) (Sept. 2) (Oct. 20)


September 2006

These bees look good, but they are dying.


Colony

(2004)Virus

May

2005

June

2005

July

2005

Aug.

2005

Sept.

2005

Oct.

2005

May

2006

June

2006

July

2006

Aug.

2006

Sept.

2006

Oct.

2006

SAT 01DWV

IAPV

KBV

−

−

−

−

−

−

+

−

−

+

−

−

+

−

−

−

−

−

+

+

−

+

−

−

+

+

+

−

+

+

+

+

+

Dead

SAT 24DWV

IAPV

KBV

+

−

−

−

−

+

−

−

+

−

−

+

−

−

+

−

−

−

−

−

−

−

−

+

+

−

Dead Dead Dead

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

− −

−

1.2 7 1 9 31

− 1.3 − 17 3 33KBV − − − − − − − − −

SAT 28DWV

IAPV

KBV

+

−

−

−

−

−

+

−

−

−

−

−

+

−

−

+

+

−

+

−

−

−

−

−

+

+

+

−

+

+

+

+

+

SAT 30DWV

IAPV

KBV

−

−

−

+

−

−

+

−

−

+

−

−

+

−

−

−

−

−

−

−

−

−

+

−

−

−

−

+

+

+

−

+

+

−

+

+

SAT 34DWV

IAPV

KBV

+

+

−

+

−

−

+

+

−

−

−

−

−

−

−

+

+

+

−

−

−

−

+

+

+

+

+

−

+

+

Saskatraz

Apiary

%T

%V

0.33

−

0.64

0.06

1.5

1.6

0.5

1

0.3

3.3

0.72

3.9

0.9

15

0.75

32

−

−

1 −

−

3 1 7 2

− −

−

1 9

− 2 − − 3 4

− − − − − −

− − 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

NonNon--Selected ColoniesSelected Colonies

•Grooming Assays

•Hygienic Behaviour (VSH phenotypes)

•Morphometric Analyses

•Molecular Marker Analyses•Molecular Marker Analyses

•Selecting for variability in virus susceptibility


Grooming Assay

30

40

50

Cu

mu

lati

ve

Va

rro

a D

rop

SAT - 84

20

25

30

35

40

Cu

mu

lati

ve

Va

rro

a D

rop

SAT - 65

84f84a84c84h0

10

20

No

v. 5

No

v. 6

No

v. 7

No

v. 8

No

v. 1

0

No

v. 1

1

No

v. 1

4

No

v. 1

7

No

v. 2

2

No

v. 2

6

Cu

mu

lati

ve

Va

rro

a D

rop

Date

84f 84a 84c 84h

65c65a65d65b0

5

10

15

20

No

v. 5

No

v. 6

No

v. 7

No

v. 8

No

v. 1

0

No

v. 1

1

No

v. 1

4

No

v. 1

7

No

v. 2

2

No

v. 2

6

Cu

mu

lati

ve

Va

rro

a D

rop

Date

65c 65a 65d 65b


8

10

12

14

% V

arr

oa

Mit

es

on

Ad

ult

Be

es

Winter Varroa Reproduction in Saskatraz Breeding Lines

04-Nov-08

0

2

4

6

84f 84c 84h 84a 84m 23b 23d 23c 23a 23m 34d 34g 34h 34i 34m

% V

arr

oa

Mit

es

on

Ad

ult

Be

es

Colony ID - m denotes mean

04-Nov-08

09-Apr-09


Varroa Mite

Hygienic Behaviour Analyses

Varroa Mite


German (4)

Russian

German (4)

Unknown

Canadian

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 of

Saskatraz Breeding Lines


50

60

70

80

90

100

% o

f B

roo

d C

ell

s In

fest

ed

% of Brood Cells Infested with Varroa at Saskatraz (Sept. 16, 2008)

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.

0

10

20

30

40

SAT 63 SAT 65 SAT 84 SAT 85 SAT 86 SAT 87 SAT 88 SAT 90 SAT 91 SAT 93 SAT 94 SAT 96

% o

f B

roo

d C

ell

s In

fest

ed

Colony ID


The image cannot be displayed. Your computer may not have enough memory to open the image, or the image may have been corrupted. Restart your computer, and then open the file again. If the red x still appears, you may have to delete the image and then insert it again.

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.

�� PositivePositive selection pressure without the use of synthetic selection pressure without the use of synthetic

chemical chemical miticidesmiticides, should allow natural genetic , should allow natural genetic

processes to improve tolerance to mites and other processes to improve tolerance to mites and other 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 biotechnologybreeding and biotechnology to helpto help obtain sustainability 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)• 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).

Documents

The Importance of Apiculture - ABIC Web Presentations/Sustan... · The Importance of Apiculture, ... Cumulative Varroa Mite Drop 2006 SAT 04 SAT 14 SAT 17 SAT 23 ... 2006 Aug. 2006