BACTERIAL AND FUNGAL DISEASES OF LOCAL HONEY BEES Noel G. Sabino, PhD Assistant Professor Institute of Biological Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, UP Los Baños

Honeybees eusocial insects belonging to the genus Apis ten species of honeybees are recognized distinguished by the production and storage of honey and the construction of perennial, colonial nests out of wax Local species: A. andrenifromis A. cerana A. breviligula A. dorsata A. mellifera

Importance of Honeybees Bees are significant pollinators of crops CROPS MEAN % YIELD INCREASE Coconut (Native San Ramon) 35 – 70 Cotton (Deltapine 16) 35 Cucurbits Watermelon 73.9 Cucumber 76.5 Squash 88.9 Upo 84.3 Patola 85.1 Ampalaya 98.7 Sunflower 30.0 Pechay 90.0 Chinese mustard 45.3 Sweet Potato 17.0 Calamansi 56.0 Radish 22.0 honeybees accomplish 1/4 of the pollination needed for all fruit produced for human consumption ENS 400

Tree species as nectar sources Acacia spp. Albizia lebbek Avicennia spp. Calliandra calothyrus Eucalyptus camaldulensis Eucalyptus citriodora Eucalyptus globutus Gliricidia sepium Gmelina arborea Grevillea robusta Guazuma ulmifolia Inga vera Pithecellobium dulce Prosopis juliflora Rhizophora spp. Syzygium cumini Bees are pollinators of local timber and other forest species. Honeybees facilitate genetic enrichment activities which are essential for plants to develop varieties that can change as the ecosystem evolves (Shrestha, 2004).

Importance of Honeybees Bees produce economically important products honey royal jelly beeswax propolis bee venom Reported to have therapeutic potential to many debilitating human diseases. In the Philippines: 20 million pesos industry Problem: Decline in honey bee population

American Foulbrood (AFB) Disease the most widespread and virulent brood disease of honey bee can kill the entire bee colony Caused by the endospore-forming bacterium, Paenibacillus larvae Completed study: Survey on the incidence of the disease based on symptoms and use of culture-based methods (cultured bees) On-going study: Development of ELISA-based method of detection Future study: Use of culture-independent methods of detection Genotypic characterization and their local distribution

European Foulbrood (EFB) Disease A widespread brood disease of honey bee Cause significant reduction in the bee colony Caused by the bacterium, Melissococcus pluton Completed study: Survey on the incidence of the disease based on symptoms and use of culture-based methods (cultured bees) Future study: Use of culture-independent methods of detection Development of ELISA-based method of detection Genotypic characterization and their local distribution

Chalkbrood Disease highly contagious mycosis that is fatal to individual larva cause significant reduction or collapse of the entire bee population Caused by the mold Ascosphaera apis Completed study: Survey on the incidence of the disease based on symptoms and use of culture-based methods (cultured bees) Genotypic characterization of fungal isolates On-going study: Detection, isolation and identification, and genotypic characterization of the fungal pathogen from feral colonies Future study: Use of culture-independent methods of detection Genotypic characterization and their local distribution

Control: Biological method search for bee symbiont with antagonistic activity against the bee pathogens What had been done: Use of molecular methods to determine bacterial populations present in the gut of cultured bees What is currently being done: Use of culture-based methods to grow and screen for antagonistic bacteria present in the gut of feral and cultured bees What are to be done: Use of NGS to identify bacterial symbionts in the gut of cultured and feral bees Isolation and screening for antagonistic bacteria Development of biocontrol agents and intervention methods

“ If the bee disappeared off the surface of the globe then man would only have four years of life left. No more bees, no more pollination, no more plants, no more animals, no more man” - Albert Einstein

References: SHRESTHA, J. B. 2008. Honeybees: the pollinator sustaining crop diversity. http://www.nepjol.info/index.php/AEJ/article/viewFile/2122/1954 (accessed: 12 September, 2012). SHRESTA, J. B. 2004. Honeybees and environment. In: Agriculture and Environment, Gender Equity and Environmental Division. Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives, HMG, Nepal. 36 p. THAKUR, M. 2012. Bees as Pollinators – Biodiversity and Conservation. IJRS Vol.2 (1) pp. 001-0017. http://interesjournals.org/IRJAS/Pdf/2012/January/Thakur.pdf (accessed: 12 September, 2012). http://www.apiservices.com/articles/us/small_beekeeping/deseases_pests.htm http://www.countryrubes.com/images/American_Foulbrood_AFB_pdf.pdf http://www.uoguelph.ca/canpolin/Publications/Poll_decline_ENG_MC3-1.pdf