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Nourishing PRObiotics to Bees to Mitigate Stressors

Objectif

In the last decades, bees have been threatened by a number of biotic and abiotic stresses, which strongly affect beehives
integrity. Consequently, the beekeeping sector together with ecosystem and agricultural sectors depending on pollinators
suffer of missed pollination. Nosema ceranae is a bee gut parasite that has received particular attention in the last years
because it causes bee colonies to collapse due to energy and nutrient deficiency. Furthermore, the bee gut microbiota
undergoes a dysbiosis process following infection. N. ceranae virulence in infected bees escalates when forager bees
uptake sub-lethal doses of insecticides such as Neonicotinoids from the polluted agricultural environment surrounding the
hive. The European Union banning of antibiotics for therapeutic use in the beekeeping sector approved in 2001 has deprived
beekeepers of Fumagillin-B, the sole antibiotic previously available to control Nosema sp.. The need to find alternative
treatments to fight bee diseases has led researchers to the study of ecofriendly practices. Our proposed research aims to
develop a strategy for the health of the bee gut based on microbial and plant resources to inhibit N. ceranae proliferation and
to mitigate the effect of synergic bee stressors. The project will be developed by a consortium formed by 4 research
institutions and 3 SMEs of 3 different European countries and a third country (Argentina). Research
institutions will do the experimental work on bees aimed at the definition of a strategy based on the use of beneficial bacteria
and plant extracts and at the evaluation of the impact on the bee gut of the developed formulation. SMEs will contribute to
the choice of the ingredients of the prototype formulation and at finding a strategy to produce it. ESR and ER will perform
secondments in research institutions and SMEs to facilitate transfer of knowledge between the research and production
sector.

Coordinateur

ALMA MATER STUDIORUM - UNIVERSITA DI BOLOGNA
Contribution nette de l'UE
€ 166 500,00
Adresse
VIA ZAMBONI 33
40126 Bologna
Italie

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Région
Nord-Est Emilia-Romagna Bologna
Type d’activité
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
Liens
Coût total
€ 166 500,00

Participants (6)

Partenaires (1)