Location: Honey Bee Breeding, Genetics, and Physiology Research
Project Number: 6050-30500-001-000-D
Project Type: In-House Appropriated
Start Date: Mar 5, 2025
End Date: Mar 4, 2030
Objective:
Objective 1: Conduct research to identify and evaluate traits, strains, and stocks for improved honey bee health (NP305, C2, PS2A, PS2B).
Sub-objective 1A: Evaluate genotype-dependent responses to nutrition and heat stress in honey bees.
Sub-objective 1B: Enhance propolis use by honey bees as a trait to improve bee health and productivity.
Sub-objective 1C: Assess virus susceptibility in drones and queens to develop holistic strategies to improve virus resistance in honey bees.
Sub-objective 1D: Identify queen traits that relate to colony viability.
Sub-objective 1E: Effectiveness of Varroa-resistant stocks against Tropilaelaps mercedesae.
Objective 2: Characterize underlying genetic, behavioral, and physiological mechanisms for traits, strains, and stocks. (NP305, C2, PS2B)
Sub-objective 2A: Characterize the resistance, temperament, and production traits of the 16 Russian honey bee lines.
Sub-objective 2B: Characterize developmental mechanisms of parasite and disease resistance.
Sub-objective 2C: Evaluate genetic variation and performance of honey bee stocks selectively bred for resistance to Varroa mites.
Sub-objective 2D – Assessing stock variation in antennal structure.
Objective 3: Conduct research to breed honeybees through phenotype-driven or marker-assisted selection (NP305, C2, PS2B, PS2C).
Sub-objective 3A: Develop honey bee stocks with Varroa sensitive hygiene as part of a nationwide selective-breeding program.
Sub-objective 3B: Determine the relationship between drone-source colonies, drone congregation areas (DCAs), and resulting progeny.
Sub-objective 3C: Characterize the effect of a closed mating strategy on population divergence and genetic variation.
Sub-objective 3D: Selection for reduced colony defensiveness via marker assisted selection.
Objective 4: Conduct research to develop genetic approaches for improving honeybee health (NP305, C2, PS2B).
Sub-objective 4A: Assess methods to monitor and manage amitraz resistance in Varroa.
Sub-objective 4B: Evaluate the effectiveness of allele-based breeding in honey bees.
Sub-objective 4C: Cataloging genetic diversity across barriers and its effects on population stratification and genetic integrity.
Sub-objective 4D: Conduct genomic selection on honey bees phenotyped for mite resistance and other commercially desirable traits.
Sub-objective 4E: Evaluate genetic differences in honey bee response to novel feed-based therapeutics.
Approach:
Honey bee health is threatened by parasites, pathogens, poor nutrition and pesticides. The research proposed in this project plan, focused on breeding programs and genetic analyses to mitigate the impacts of parasitic mites, microbial disease agents, viruses, and poor nutrition, will address many major concerns of the commercial beekeeping industry. The ability to conduct multiyear projects on breeding and genetics in collaboration with beekeepers is a major strength of the HBBGPL and is foundational to long-term and sustainable solutions to many of the problems beekeepers face. Understanding the genetic basis of Varroa and disease resistance will play a critical role in future breeding efforts at the HBBGPL and with commercial queen producers. Development of tools for high throughput and low-cost genetic testing for amitraz resistance in Varroa, and development of genetic markers and advanced molecular breeding strategies for traits of interest in honey bees (e.g. Varroa and virus resistance, and health biomarkers) will rapidly increase the ability to create robust honey bee stocks. The project improves understanding of genetic diversity across U.S. commercial stocks, enabling both marker-assisted selection and conservation of genetic resources.
Varroa destructor (hereafter, Varroa) is the greatest threat to bee health worldwide. The project builds on past successes by improving selection efficiency for resistance to Varroa and for elevated colony performance, promoting adoption by beekeepers. Investigations target relationships between genetic diversity across stocks, immune responses, and treatment effectiveness against Varroa, viruses, and other related biotic threats. This is critical because of recent beekeeper reports of miticide- (amitraz-) resistant Varroa. Given the threat from Varroa, the plan outlines novel and continuing research on breeding and management related to Varroa-resistant honey bees (Sub-objectives 2A, 2B, 2C, 2D, 3A, 3C, 4A).
In addition, we also initiate a suite of new studies addressing the negative impact of stressors whose prevalence has increased across managed honey bees in the past decade. This research focuses on characterization and development of additional trait selection and management strategies to combat viral infection (Sub-objectives 1C, 4E), poor nutrition (Sub-objectives 1A, 4B), emerging threats (Sub-objective 1E), and general health (Sub-objectives 1B, 2B). Further research goals aim to inform classical breeding approaches (Sub-objectives 1D, 3B, 3C) and demonstrate the utility of advanced genomic tools to improve breeding efficiency and capabilities for the industry (Sub-objectives 3D, 4B, 4C, 4D).
Overall, the diverse approaches and techniques used in this plan, which identifies and exploits genotype dependent responses of honey bees to various stressors, will enhance the effectiveness of contemporary breeding programs.
