Location: Pollinating Insect-Biology, Management, Systematics Research
Project Number: 2080-21000-019-019-S
Project Type: Non-Assistance Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Aug 15, 2018
End Date: Aug 15, 2023
Objective:
Investigate the effects of management practices used in Integrated Pest Management of pests in fruit and vegetable crops on the health of bees and their pathogens. Perform experiments to further define the pathogens in bees and their impacts on the health of the pollinators and their health.
Approach:
Using experiments designed a priori for statistical analysis of results, bees will be tested as either individuals or as micro-colonies to determine the impacts of management practices used in IPM in fruit and vegetable crops. In particular, the impact of chemicals (pesticides and adjuvants) will be examined. Response variables will include survivorship, physiological impacts, and measures of the pathogen infections (prevalence among individuals, titers within individuals, and localization within tissues in bees). For the physiological impacts, these will include measures of immune parameters (gene expression) and/or behavior (diet choice). Pathogens infecting the bees will be further characterized and their impacts on bees defined. Impacts on the performance by the bees or the pollination of the crop will also be evaluated. The potential outcomes will be evaluated to design integrated pest management programs that effectively control pests, while ensuring optimal health of the pollinators.