Genetic selection of honeybees in northern climates

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Honey bees (Apis mellifera) provide indispensable pollination services to important agri-food crops valued at more than $ 2 billion per year in Canada. Unfortunately, Canadian beekeepers have been experiencing unsustainable colony losses over the last 10 years. Failing queens have repeatedly been identified as a critical issue in recent years by Canadian beekeeping stakeholders. Our beekeeping industry relies mainly on imports of queens and bees to replace losses, which poses important health risks to our honey bees. Furthermore, continuous honey bee imports are detrimental to the establishment of breeding programs that are instrumental in ensuring implementation of productive selected honey bees that are locally adapted to our northern climate Canadian beekeeping industry. Stock selection and quantitative genetics are widely used in farm animal production and have proved very efficient for increasing productivity. New approaches in computational methods make it possible to apply existing genetic statistical models to honey bees, calculate trait heritability and predict breeding values. Historically, the only methods for identifying and selecting desirable traits in honey bees was the assessment of various behaviors and phenotypic traits. However, recent advances by a team of Canadian scientists have demonstrated that Marker Assisted Selection (MAS) can be used. My long-term research objective aims at increasing self-sufficiency of the Canadian beekeeping industry. My research proposal focuses on 1) honey bee selection, to increase productivity and resistance to pathogens and parasites, 2) with emphasis on the parasitic mite Varroa destructor. My short-term research objectives are: A) To develop honey bee specific statistical models that will assign a genetic value to each colony based on heritability of selected traits, B) To test Marker Assisted Selection in our Centre de Recherche en Sciences Animales de Deschambault-CRSAD provincial breeding program. C) To study Varroa Sensitive Hygiene-VSH behavior and use it as a novel selection trait. My research will be accomplished through controlled experiments and colony assessments in CRSAD colonies. These experiments are grouped in 5 Activities: (Activity 1) Measures of various selection criteria CRSAD colonies; (Activity 2) Calculations of heritability values of selection criteria; (Activity 3) Development of a flexible selection index; (Activity 4) Comparison of marker assisted selection with phenotypic selection; (Activity 5) Fundamental knowledge of Varroa Sensitive Hygiene behavior. My research results will improve Canadian honey bee selection programs and increase honey bee performances. This will reduce honey bee colony losses, increase honey yields and enhance pollination services. The socioeconomic benefits include direct benefits to beekeepers, and indirect benefits to our agro-economy that depends on honey bees for pollination.