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ARS Home » Southeast Area » Baton Rouge, Louisiana » Honey Bee Lab » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #376564
Research Project: Using Genetics to Improve the Breeding and Health of Honey Bees

Location: Honey Bee Breeding, Genetics, and Physiology Research

Title: Genetic variation of Ascosphaera apis and colony attributes do not explain chalkbrood disease outbreaks in Australian honey bees

Author
item GERDTS, JODY - La Trobe University
item ROBERTS, JOHN - Commonwealth Scientific And Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO)
item Simone-Finstrom, Michael
item OGBOURNE, STEVEN - University Of Sunshine Coast
item TUCCIE, JOSEPH - La Trobe University

Submitted to: Journal of Invertebrate Pathology
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 1/22/2021
Publication Date: 1/29/2021
Citation: Gerdts, J., Roberts, J., Simone-Finstrom, M., Ogbourne, S., Tuccie, J. 2021. Genetic variation of Ascosphaera apis and colony attributes do not explain chalkbrood disease outbreaks in Australian honey bees. Journal of Invertebrate Pathology. 180:107540. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jip.2021.107540.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jip.2021.107540

Interpretive Summary: Honey bees contend with a variety of pathogens and parasites that influence colony productivity. Chalkbrood, caused by the fungus Ascosphaera apis, kills developing larvae and currently has a significant impact on Australia’s beekeeping industry. To better understand this pathogen, we conducted a survey to investigate the genetic variation of chalkbrood across Australia to determine if an emerging, more virulent strain or specific apiary conditions were responsible for the prevalence of the disease. We identified six genetically distinct strains of A. apis, four have been reported elsewhere and two are unique to Australia. Colonies and individual larvae were found to be infected with multiple strains of A. apis and neither individual strains, combinations of strains, or obvious colony or apiary characteristics were found to be predictive of colony infection levels. These results suggest that honey bee genetics play an important role in colony level resistance to chalkbrood infection in Australia.

Technical Abstract: Chalkbrood infection caused by the fungus Ascosphaera apis currently has a significant impact on Australia’s apicultural industry. We investigated the genetic variation of A. apis and colony and apiary level conditions to determine if an emerging, more virulent strain or specific conditions were responsible for the prevalence of the disease. We identified six genetically distinct strains of A. apis, four have been reported elsewhere and two are unique to Australia. Colonies and individual larvae were found to be infected with multiple strains of A. apis and neither individual strains, combinations of strains, or obvious colony or apiary characteristics were found to be predictive of hive infection levels. These results suggest that host genotype plays an important role in colony level resistance to chalkbrood infection in Australia.