Illumina, Inc. (NASDAQ: ILMN)
Genetic technologies could be a gamechanger for Australian beekeepers as they negotiate life with varroa mite and look to future breeding strategies.
In September, Australian authorities declared the parasite could not be eradicated.
It’s big news for apiarists, who have spent more than 12 months performing the “alcohol wash” or “sugar shake” tests to identify varroa mite in their hives. These labour-intensive tests involve dousing bees in ethanol or icing sugar, then watching for the small mites to fall off.
However, Illumina’s senior market development manager Dr Evgeny Glazov says an emerging genetics-based approach could free up beekeepers’ time, while also leading to better outcomes for their bees.
Environmental DNA, or eDNA, is a rapidly emerging tool for studying biodiversity in an ecosystem and monitoring change.
Dr Glazov said Australian researchers have been able to use eDNA to detect varroa mite using a simple cotton swab or honey sample.
“It’s a very promising approach, and could make testing more scalable and sensitive,” Dr Glazov said.
“eDNA or molecular techniques can detect varroa mite much earlier than the traditional tests. They are incredibly accurate and much more sensitive than the visual observation methods.
“This new approach can also provide beekeepers with a deeper understanding of what’s happening in their hives. We can test purely for the presence of varroa mite, or we can use the technology to go deeper and discover what other pathogens the mites themselves are bringing into a hive.”
Dr Glazov said the technology closely resembles the testing conducting during the pandemic when authorities tested for the presence of COVID-19 in wastewater.
All organisms shed DNA into their environments through their excretions, eggs, pollen and by other methods. Laboratories can use DNA sequencing to identify the DNA left behind by different organisms in samples of various material. This information is then used to build a list of the species present in the sample.
Breeding for the future
Dr Glazov said genetic technologies are further assisting beekeepers in Europe, helping them breed bees that are more resistant to varroa mite.
A 2021 European Commission report found bees that had been selectively bred for at least two generations delivered a greater commercial return, while also being more resistant to varroa mite.
“Some bees are naturally more resistant to varroa mite than others,” Dr Glazov explained.
“In Europe, in particular, we’ve seen huge efforts to understand this resistance and breed bees more resistant to the mite. These efforts are underpinned by genetics, and the ability to sequence the DNA of both bees and the mites.
“Australia is not as advanced in these areas, given varroa mite was only declared endemic here a few months back. However, interest is likely to increase as beekeepers and authorities work through the best ways to manage a new pathogen here.”
