Hort Innovation is investing in practical research to help industry manage Varroa mite and protect the reliable pollination Australian growers depend on.

The investment spans a range of approaches, focused on building more practical options for growers, beekeepers and industry.

Varroa mite is a small, reddish-brown parasite that attacks honeybees, devastating entire colonies. Because honeybees play a critical pollination role in Australia’s $18.4 billion horticulture industry, Varroa has drastically impacted businesses and increased costs for beekeepers and growers.

The first phase of the developing safer, selective pesticides project identified promising compounds to potentially target Varroa mites while reducing impacts on honeybees, providing a foundation for further development.

Researchers from the University of Sydney produced and tested hormone receptor proteins from Varroa mite, identifying multiple promising compounds targeting the mite without strongly affecting bees.

Other work underway included research with Macquarie University exploring naturally occurring fungal strains as a potential biological control for Varroa mites without harming honeybees or contaminating bee products.

Together, this work forms part of Hort Innovation’s broader investment in Varroa preparedness and pollination security, spanning pollination management, surveillance, monitoring and control technologies, bee health and new biological approaches.

Hort Innovation CEO Brett Fifield said reliable pollination was fundamental to Australian horticulture.

“We’ve been investing in Varroa preparedness and pollination security for some time because reliable pollination is fundamental to Australian horticulture,” Mr Fifield said.

“Honeybee pollination supports 65 per cent of Australia’s horticultural production, so this is ultimately about protecting the growers and industries that rely on it.

“There won’t be one solution to Varroa. Our role is to keep investing in practical research that builds the toolkit available to growers, beekeepers and industry.”

Australian Honey Bee Industry Council CEO Danny LeFeuvre said beekeepers needed practical management options so their bees could continue to provide critical pollination services, and the research was an important part of finding solutions.

“Some of the projects being funded by Hort Innovation are really practical and addressing the on the ground issues we’re having right now,” Mr LeFeuvre said.  

“We know growers rely on our bees for pollination, so we’re encouraged by research results that show potential solutions.  

“This is an important part of strengthening our management tools, supporting beekeepers and horticulture growers.”  

Mr Fifield said the research findings provided a foundation for future development of safer pest-management products to protect bees while controlling damaging hive pests.  

“Research is the first step towards practical solutions, and we’re firmly focused on the impact for growers,” Mr Fifield said.

“Tackling Varroa, doing the surveillance work, and looking at those alternative pollinators, we’re taking a comprehensive approach to this problem.

“By focusing on growers’ practical needs, we have a clear vision for where this work will go next.” 

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Ongoing projects
Optimisation of fungal bio-control agent for varroa mite (PH24001)
Entomopathogenic nematodes as biological control agents of important honey bee pests in Australia (PH21004)
Flies as effective pollinators for horticulture (PH24002)
Supporting the health and expansion of the Australian stingless bee industry (PH22004)

Completed projects
Protecting pollinators from pesticides: Developing safer, selective pesticides targeting Varroa mite and small hive beetle hormone receptors (PH20003)
Managing flies for crop pollination (PH16002)
Expansion of flies as berry and cucurbit crop pollinators (MT22007)
Stingless bees as effective managed pollinators for Australian horticulture (PH16000)