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Project title

Developing effective non-thermal interventionS to Address Very complEx diseases in factory farmed Bumblebees

Primary Funding Agency

Environmental Protection Agency

Co-Funding Organisation(s)

n/a

Lead Organisation

Athlone Institute of Technology (AIT)

Lead Applicant

Neil J Rowan

Project Abstract

SAVE-B will develop novel approaches to promote health and well-being in animal pollinators, specifically bumblebees (Bombus terrestris), which are essential for vital food security and ecosystem service management. Currently, there is a major decline in our pollinators with very few effective strategies to address this problem. Although there are many drivers of this decline, a significant contributor is the occurrence and spread of various pathogens and parasites that affect bee health. This project will investigate novel parasite-control methods and interventions and will focus on the pollen that is supplied to farmed colonies of bumblebees. Wild sourced pollen is generally contaminated with multiple pathogens and parasites including the prevalent parasite Crithidia-bombi and to date the sterilisation of pollen is achieved using gamma irradiation. Led by Professor Neil Rowan (Athlone Institute of Technology), this transdisciplinary study will test and develop novel sterilisation technologies, alternative to gamma irradiation, and establish reliable and repeatable operational conditions that can be applied to the commercial bee industry. This potential impact (negative and positive) of treated pollen on bee health will be assessed at the molecular, immunological, behavioural and colony levels. These aspects of the project will be co-supervised by Dr Jim Carolan at Maynooth University (MU).

Grant Approved

�43,500.00

Research Hub

Natural Environment

Research Theme

Natural capital and ecosystem services including soils and biodiversity

Start Date

04/02/2019

Initial Projected Completion Date

03/02/2023