Project Number: 5428-21000-010-09
Project Type:

Start Date: Mar 01, 2007
End Date: Feb 27, 2011

Objective:
To study the natural occurrence of chalkbrood pathogens and the associated host-pathogen interactions, and to utilize this knowledge to improve disease control in social and solitary bees.

Approach:
The co-operator will host Rosalind James to visit for approximately four weeks in 2007. Travel expenses for these visits will be funded by the co-operator. These visits will facilitate the collection of Ascosphaera species in their native range, and in bees that occur in Denmark. Comparative DNA analyses will be used determine the origin of Ascosphaera that occur in the U.S., to determine which species are native to North America, and which are accidental introductions. R. James will also help direct a PhD student who will study chalkbrood disease in bees, and some of that research will be conducted in Logan, UT. The collaborator and associates will develop methods for diagnosing Ascosphaera infections in bees, and determine the genetics of host resistance to infection.