Building pollination security and safeguarding Australia's food security is the theme of this year's World Bee Day (20 May) – and is central to research being undertaken by a team of Agriculture Victoria researchers including Dr Linda Zheng.
Under the Victorian Agriculture Infrastructure and Jobs Fund, Agriculture Victoria researchers have developed diagnostic tests to identify varroa mite and deformed wing virus – two of the most destructive biosecurity threats to the bee industry and the pollination services they provide to Australia's horticulture industry.
An uncontained incursion of varroa mite and associated bee viruses could potentially cost producers and consumers of pollination dependent crops up to $1.3 billion over 30 years.
Varroa mite is a parasite that sucks the blood of bees; it can weaken and kill honeybee colonies and transmit honeybee viruses such as the deformed wing virus.
"The deformed wing virus is the most devasting viral disease of European honeybees, additionally if the virus is detected along with a mite infestation of the hives, the hive mortality could be up to 80 or 100 per cent," Dr Zheng said.
Dr Zheng is now undertaking research, supported by Agriculture Victoria's Livestock Biosecurity Funds, to combine the two world-first loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) tests – the varroa mite test developed by her colleague Dr Mark Blacket and the deformed wing virus test she developed.
"The varroa mite is the vector that transmits the deformed wing virus, so it makes perfect sense to combine the LAMP tests into one, so one test can be used for both targets.
"Combining the two LAMP tests will improve efficiencies, cut costs, and reduce the time taken by biosecurity officers in the field, leading to a more immediate response in the event of a detection," she said.
Neither the deformed wing virus or varroa mite is present in Australia, despite a detection of varroa mite on a cargo ship in the Port of Melbourne in 2018. A successful surveillance operation conducted by biosecurity officers over six months confirmed it had not spread.
Dr Zheng said Agriculture Victoria is developing a range of diagnostic tests to support bee health including in-field and high-throughput diagnostics for some of the high priority exotic pests of bees.
"The development of a combined test will enable biosecurity officers in the field to test for the varroa mite and deformed wing virus in the same test, and receive a result within 30 minutes, allowing decision-making on the ground in real time.
"This research helps support Australia's preparedness; if there is a disease outbreak that threatens bees Agriculture Victoria has the capacity to provide surveillance and diagnostic services, as we have one of a few laboratories in Australia with bee diagnostics capability."
