Research Project: Bee-microbe Symbioses and Their Impact on Pollinator Health

Location: Vegetable Crops Research

Project Number: 5090-21220-004-016-R
Project Type: Reimbursable Cooperative Agreement

Start Date: Oct 1, 2019
End Date: Mar 31, 2023

Objective:
Investigate the microbial symbioses that native pollinators rely upon during larval development.

Approach:
The pollen-borne microbiome will be examined across a range of native bee foraging strategies, and the impacts of agricultural fungicides on larval bee development will be assayed. We will 1) characterize the identities of pollen-borne microbial communities associated with native bees; 2) measure the magnitude and breadth of larval reliance on microbial proteins and lipids; 3) assay the impacts of fungicides on larval bee survival, as mediated by pollen-borne symbionts.