STTR Phase I: A Novel Biorational Approach to Curing Honey Bees

该小企业技术转让（STTR）第一阶段项目的更广泛影响是通过开发狄斯瓦螨（导致蜜蜂数量下降的最大单一原因）的生物处理方法来改善蜜蜂健康，从而提高作物产量。美国所有的蜜蜂群体（250万）都受到寄生的狄斯瓦螨的侵扰，由于螨本身的影响以及它携带的微生物疾病的转移，这些螨会造成毁灭性的群体损失。目前，商业养蜂人和业余养蜂人都必须决定是现在失去一个殖民地，还是后来失去一个殖民地，因为瓦螨的侵扰。将安全有效的新生物产品推向市场将降低养蜂人的年度支出以及时间和精力，使蜂群免受传统杀虫剂的破坏性下游影响。此外，该解决方案通过本文提出的新科学方法和技术进步为更多生物制剂的开发和商业化铺平了道路，基本上降低了感知风险。拟议项目旨在为市场带来一种新颖的、生物合理的、科学的方法，用于狄斯瓦螨虫害的农药管理。这种无公害杀虫剂的目的是针对一个小错误（螨），生活在一个大错误（蜜蜂）不伤害蜜蜂。以前没有农药采用本文所述的生物合理方法，因此需要进行各种实验来优化制造和施用方法，并在将该产品推向市场之前提供概念证明。具体目标包括：1）通过对不同生长条件的经验性测试，开发高效且具有成本效益的大规模生产方法，2）测试各种施用方法，包括但不限于基于液体和粉末的方法，这些方法对于三个不同的养蜂人群体来说是可扩展的且最终用户友好的（商业、副业和业余养蜂人），和3）附加的作用实验模式以巩固新技术进步的“概念证明”，包括对蜜蜂健康影响的深入研究。这项技术将包括开发适用于包含数百个菌落的仓库的管理方法。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The broader impact of this Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I project is to enhance honey bee health and hence crop production through the development of a biological treatment for Varroa destructor mite, the greatest single cause of honey bee decline. All honey bee colonies in the U.S. (2.5 million) are infested with parasitic Varroa destructor mites which cause devastating colony loss due to the impact of the mite itself as well as the transfer of microbial diseases it carries. Currently, both commercial and hobbyist beekeepers must decide between losing a colony now to Varroa destructor infestation, or later to consequent pesticide effects. Bringing a safe and effective new biological-based product to the market will lower beekeeper’s annual spending as well as time and effort to keep their colonies alive by leaving honey bee colonies free from the devastating downstream effects of traditional pesticides. In addition, the solution paves the way for more biologicals to be developed and commercialized through the novel scientific approach and technological advancement proposed herein, essentially reducing the perceived risk. The proposed project seeks to bring to market a novel, biorational, scientific approach in pesticide management of Varroa destructor mite infestation. This biorational pesticide is designed to target a little bug (the mite) that lives on a big bug (the honey bee) without harming the bee. No pesticide has previously taken the biorational approach described herein, thus a variety of experiments are necessary to optimize manufacturing and administration methods as well as provide proof of concept prior to bringing this product to market. The specific aims include: 1) the development of efficient and cost-effective mass production methods through empirical testing of varying growth conditions, 2) testing of various administration methods, including, but not limited to, liquid- and powder-based methods that are scalable and end-user friendly for three different groups of beekeepers (commercial, sideline, and hobbyist honey beekeepers), and 3) additional mode of action experiments to solidify the “proof of concept” of the novel technological advancement, including an in-depth examination of the effect on honey bee heath. This technology will include developing administration methods suitable for warehouses containing hundreds of colonies.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.