Genetic selection of honeybees in northern climates

北方气候下蜜蜂的遗传选择

• 批准号: RGPIN-2019-05843
• 负责人: giovenazzo, pierre
• 金额: $ 2.04万
• 依托单位: Université Laval
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2022
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2022-01-01 至 2023-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=745008
• 关键词: Genetic; selection; honeybees; northern; climates

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.

蜜蜂（Apis mellifera）为加拿大每年价值超过20亿美元的重要农业粮食作物提供不可或缺的授粉服务。不幸的是，在过去的10年里，加拿大养蜂人一直在经历不可持续的蜂群损失。近年来，加拿大养蜂业的利益相关者一再将失败的蜂王确定为一个关键问题。我们的养蜂业主要依赖进口蜂王和蜜蜂来弥补损失，这对我们的蜜蜂构成了重要的健康风险。此外，持续的蜜蜂进口不利于建立育种计划，这些计划有助于确保实施适应加拿大北方气候的高产精选蜜蜂。 选种和数量遗传学广泛应用于农场动物生产，并已被证明对提高生产力非常有效。新的计算方法使得将现有的遗传统计模型应用于蜜蜂，计算性状遗传力和预测育种值成为可能。从历史上看，识别和选择蜜蜂理想性状的唯一方法是评估各种行为和表型性状。然而，加拿大科学家团队的最新进展表明，可以使用标记辅助选择（MAS）。 我的长期研究目标是提高加拿大养蜂业的自给自足。我的研究计划侧重于1）蜜蜂选择，以提高生产力和对病原体和寄生虫的抵抗力，2）重点是寄生螨Varroa destructor。我的短期研究目标是：A）开发蜜蜂特定的统计模型，根据选定性状的遗传力为每个群体分配遗传值，B）在我们的德尚博动物科学研究中心-CRSAD省级育种计划中测试标记辅助选择。C）研究瓦螨属敏感的异戊烯-VSH行为，并将其作为一种新的选择性状。我的研究将通过控制实验和CRSAD殖民地的殖民地评估来完成。这些实验分为5个活动：（活动1）各种选择标准CRSAD菌落的测量;（活动2）选择标准遗传力值的计算;（活动3）灵活选择指数的开发;（活动4）标记辅助选择与表型选择的比较;（活动5）瓦螨属敏感卫生行为的基础知识。 我的研究成果将改善加拿大蜜蜂选择计划，提高蜜蜂的性能。这将减少蜂群损失，增加蜂蜜产量并加强授粉服务。社会经济效益包括对养蜂人的直接效益，以及对依赖蜜蜂授粉的农业经济的间接效益。