Location: Honey Bee Breeding, Genetics, and Physiology Research
Project Number: 6050-30500-001-014-T
Project Type: Trust Fund Cooperative Agreement
Start Date: Jul 1, 2025
End Date: Jun 30, 2026
Objective:
The overarching goal of this project is to evaluate the nutritional and immune stimulating properties of microalgae supplementation on honey bee workers and queens.
Approach:
To achieve this goal, we will pursue the following supporting objectives:
Objective 1. Assess seasonal and genetic effects on immune stimulation by microalgae in nurse workers.
Objective 2. Measure the effect of microalgae on queen production and rates of queen egg laying.
3) Import efficacious gene constructs into Arthrospira (spirulina), an industrially important cyanobacterium.