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The Importance of Apiculture, ABIC 2010
The Importance of ApicultureThe Importance of Apiculture
Albert J. RobertsonAlbert J. Robertson
Meadow Ridge EnterprisesMeadow Ridge Enterprises
The Importance of Apiculture, ABIC 2010
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
The Importance of Apiculture, ABIC 2010
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.
The Importance of Apiculture, ABIC 2010
�� 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.
The Importance of Apiculture, ABIC 2010
�� 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))
The Importance of Apiculture, ABIC 2010
�� 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))
The Importance of Apiculture, ABIC 2010
Varroa Mites in Pupae
The Importance of Apiculture, ABIC 2010
Scanning Electron Micrographs of Varroa Mite
The Importance of Apiculture, ABIC 2010
�� 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
The Importance of Apiculture, ABIC 2010
The Importance of Apiculture, ABIC 2010
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
The Importance of Apiculture, ABIC 2010
Saskatraz natural selection yard site fall 2006 – fenced.
Selection for this Saskatraz yard site is a death sentence.
The Importance of Apiculture, ABIC 2010
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).
The Importance of Apiculture, ABIC 2010
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)
The Importance of Apiculture, ABIC 2010
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
The Importance of Apiculture, ABIC 2010
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)
The Importance of Apiculture, ABIC 2010
September 2006
These bees look good, but they are dying.
The Importance of Apiculture, ABIC 2010
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
The Importance of Apiculture, ABIC 2010
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
The Importance of Apiculture, ABIC 2010
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
The Importance of Apiculture, ABIC 2010
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
The Importance of Apiculture, ABIC 2010
Varroa Mite
Hygienic Behaviour Analyses
Varroa Mite
The Importance of Apiculture, ABIC 2010
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.
The Importance of Apiculture, ABIC 2010
Selecting for Variability in Virus Susceptibility of
Saskatraz Breeding Lines
The Importance of Apiculture, ABIC 2010
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 Importance of Apiculture, ABIC 2010
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Screening of Pre-Emergent Pupae From Varroa Tolerant and Sensitive
Saskatraz Breeding Lines for IAPV using RT-PCR
The Importance of Apiculture, ABIC 2010
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.
The Importance of Apiculture, ABIC 2010
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).