Bee industry supports research into new parasite disease
04 Jul 2008
NSW DPI researchers have received funding to investigate a new microsporidian parasite (Nosema ceranae) in honeybees.
The effects of the parasite under Australian conditions are largely unknown and will be investigated in the project.
In Europe it is regarded as a serious parasite, being associated with gradual honey bee colony depopulation, higher autumn/winter colony deaths and/or low honey production.
The project, led by Dr Michael Hornitzky with Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC) funding, also aims to develop more efficient diagnostic methods suitable for testing large numbers of samples using molecular assays.