First evidence of the effectiveness of a field application of RNAi technology in reducing infestation of the mite Varroa destructor in the western honey bee (Apis mellifera)
Abstract Background The mite Varroa destructor is the most serious pest of the western honey bee (Apis mellifera) and a major factor in the global decline of colonies. Traditional control methods, such as chemical pesticides, although quick and temporarily effective, leave residues in hive products,...
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BMC
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Parasites & Vectors |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-025-06673-7 |
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| author | Francesca Bortolin Emanuele Rigato Sergio Perandin Anna Granato Laura Zulian Caterina Millino Beniamina Pacchioni Franco Mutinelli Giuseppe Fusco |
| author_facet | Francesca Bortolin Emanuele Rigato Sergio Perandin Anna Granato Laura Zulian Caterina Millino Beniamina Pacchioni Franco Mutinelli Giuseppe Fusco |
| author_sort | Francesca Bortolin |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background The mite Varroa destructor is the most serious pest of the western honey bee (Apis mellifera) and a major factor in the global decline of colonies. Traditional control methods, such as chemical pesticides, although quick and temporarily effective, leave residues in hive products, harming bees and operators’ health, while promoting pathogen resistance and spread. As a sustainable alternative, RNA interference (RNAi) technology has shown great potential for honey bee pest control in laboratory assays, but evidence of effectiveness in the field has been lacking. Methods We investigated the efficacy and feasibility of a RNAi treatment to improve bee health under natural beekeeping conditions by integrating a honey bee diet with a mixture of dsRNA targeting V. destructor acetyl-CoA carboxylase, Na+/K+ ATPase and endochitinase genes. Results In treated hives, we observed that the average infestation rate of phoretic Varroa mite was reduced by 33% and 42% relative to control bees fed with sucrose and GFP-dsRNA, respectively. The dsRNA treatment did not affect bee survival, and the beekeepers involved in the project found the method manageable in the apiary and non-intrusive to production activities. Conclusions Our findings demonstrate the feasibility and effectiveness of RNAi technology in reducing Varroa mite infestations under natural rearing conditions. This study supports the potential of RNAi as a promising alternative to chemical pesticides, offering a targeted, efficient and sustainable solution for managing V. destructor in honey bee populations. Graphical Abstract |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-9ddc9d7abe6d4d28abc5712d9b4958c2 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1756-3305 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Parasites & Vectors |
| spelling | doaj-art-9ddc9d7abe6d4d28abc5712d9b4958c22025-02-02T12:11:04ZengBMCParasites & Vectors1756-33052025-01-0118111010.1186/s13071-025-06673-7First evidence of the effectiveness of a field application of RNAi technology in reducing infestation of the mite Varroa destructor in the western honey bee (Apis mellifera)Francesca Bortolin0Emanuele Rigato1Sergio Perandin2Anna Granato3Laura Zulian4Caterina Millino5Beniamina Pacchioni6Franco Mutinelli7Giuseppe Fusco8Department of Biology, University of PadovaSmart BugsIndependent ResearcherNational Reference Laboratory for Honey Bee Health, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle VenezieNational Reference Laboratory for Honey Bee Health, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle VenezieDepartment of Biology, University of PadovaDepartment of Biology, University of PadovaNational Reference Laboratory for Honey Bee Health, Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale delle VenezieDepartment of Biology, University of PadovaAbstract Background The mite Varroa destructor is the most serious pest of the western honey bee (Apis mellifera) and a major factor in the global decline of colonies. Traditional control methods, such as chemical pesticides, although quick and temporarily effective, leave residues in hive products, harming bees and operators’ health, while promoting pathogen resistance and spread. As a sustainable alternative, RNA interference (RNAi) technology has shown great potential for honey bee pest control in laboratory assays, but evidence of effectiveness in the field has been lacking. Methods We investigated the efficacy and feasibility of a RNAi treatment to improve bee health under natural beekeeping conditions by integrating a honey bee diet with a mixture of dsRNA targeting V. destructor acetyl-CoA carboxylase, Na+/K+ ATPase and endochitinase genes. Results In treated hives, we observed that the average infestation rate of phoretic Varroa mite was reduced by 33% and 42% relative to control bees fed with sucrose and GFP-dsRNA, respectively. The dsRNA treatment did not affect bee survival, and the beekeepers involved in the project found the method manageable in the apiary and non-intrusive to production activities. Conclusions Our findings demonstrate the feasibility and effectiveness of RNAi technology in reducing Varroa mite infestations under natural rearing conditions. This study supports the potential of RNAi as a promising alternative to chemical pesticides, offering a targeted, efficient and sustainable solution for managing V. destructor in honey bee populations. Graphical Abstracthttps://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-025-06673-7dsRNAPest controlVarroa destructorHoney beeBiopesticide |
| spellingShingle | Francesca Bortolin Emanuele Rigato Sergio Perandin Anna Granato Laura Zulian Caterina Millino Beniamina Pacchioni Franco Mutinelli Giuseppe Fusco First evidence of the effectiveness of a field application of RNAi technology in reducing infestation of the mite Varroa destructor in the western honey bee (Apis mellifera) Parasites & Vectors dsRNA Pest control Varroa destructor Honey bee Biopesticide |
| title | First evidence of the effectiveness of a field application of RNAi technology in reducing infestation of the mite Varroa destructor in the western honey bee (Apis mellifera) |
| title_full | First evidence of the effectiveness of a field application of RNAi technology in reducing infestation of the mite Varroa destructor in the western honey bee (Apis mellifera) |
| title_fullStr | First evidence of the effectiveness of a field application of RNAi technology in reducing infestation of the mite Varroa destructor in the western honey bee (Apis mellifera) |
| title_full_unstemmed | First evidence of the effectiveness of a field application of RNAi technology in reducing infestation of the mite Varroa destructor in the western honey bee (Apis mellifera) |
| title_short | First evidence of the effectiveness of a field application of RNAi technology in reducing infestation of the mite Varroa destructor in the western honey bee (Apis mellifera) |
| title_sort | first evidence of the effectiveness of a field application of rnai technology in reducing infestation of the mite varroa destructor in the western honey bee apis mellifera |
| topic | dsRNA Pest control Varroa destructor Honey bee Biopesticide |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s13071-025-06673-7 |
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