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Cucumber green mottle mosaic virus (CGMMV) and honey bee pollinators

Mary Finlay-Doney, Vicki Simlesa, Lucy Tran-Nguyen, Fiona Constable, Geoff Kelly

27 September 2017

DEPARTMENT OF PRIMARY INDUSTRY AND RESOURCES

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Apis mellifera (Hymenoptera: Apidae)

Honey bees

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Tobamovirus

Cause serious diseases in the vegetable & fruit cucurbits as well as several gourd species

A major global threat to cucurbit industries

Dombrovsky, A., Tran-Nguyen, L. T. T., & Jones, R. A. C. (2017). Annual Review of Phytopathology, 55(1), 231-256

CGMMV

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CGMMV in Australia

Dombrovsky, A., Tran-Nguyen, L. T. T., & Jones, R. A. C. (2017). Annual Review of Phytopathology, 55(1), 231-256 (modified)

February 2016Quarantine lifted in the NT

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CGMMV transmission

Spread by direct mechanical contact

• Soil

• Propagation equipment – farm tools

• Seeds

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Many crops are dependent on honey bee pollination

squash 10%, watermelon 70%, cucumber 100%

Hives are used on multiple properties

Is it possible to move the virus??

Monck, M., Gordon, J., & Hanslow, K. (2008). Analysis of the Market for Pollination Services in Australia. RIRDC

Why honey bees?

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Is CGMMV present in bee hives?

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Is CGMMV present in bee hives?

CGMMV

Bee product Present Capable of infecting?

Pollen 79% 20%

Honey 67% 39%

Wax 67% 0%

Adult bees 53% 16%

Brood 23% na

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Protocol to detect CGMMV in bee hives

What is the best way to confirm the presence or absence of CGMMV in bee hives?

• number of samples?

• type of samples?

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Protocol to detect CGMMV in bee hives

Tested for CGMMV presence/absence

• adult bees

• pollen

• honey

Sampled four apiaries. 11 hives in each apiary.

INTENSIVE SAMPLING - 10 samples of each product from a single hive

EXTENSIVE SAMPLING - 1 sample of each product from multiple hives

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Protocol to detect CGMMV in bee hives

Recommendation: extensive sampling

Hive product Proportion of samples with CGMMV (s.d.)

Intensive Extensive

Adults 0.2 (0.1) 0.1 (0.1)

Pollen 0 0.1 (0.1)

Honey Na 0.9 (0.1)

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Thank you

Acknowledgements- Vicki Simlesa & NT apiarists- HIA VG15013 project team- NT Quarantine

Funding- Horticulture Innovation Australia - vegetable levy - NTG- National Plant Biosecurity Diagnostic Network