Project Grant 20243882142061

** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** HONEYBEES ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT MANAGED POLLINATORS IN U.S. AGRICULTURE. TO PROVIDE THE POLLINATION SERVICE, HONEYBEE COLONIES MUST BE TRANSPORTED TO ORCHARDS AND FARMS BY TRUCKS ACROSS OUR COUNTRY. HOWEVER, THERE IS A GAP IN KNOWLEDGE ON THE STRESS OF TRANSPORTATION ON THE BEHAVIOR AND PHYSIOLOGY OF HONEYBEES. HERE, WE STUDY HOW TRANSPORTATION AFFECTS HONEYBEE HEALTH BY INVESTIGATING THE BIOTIC AND ABIOTIC STRESSES IN THE COLONIES BEFORE, DURING, AND AFTER TRANSPORTATION. WE HYPOTHESIZE THAT THE TRANSPORTATION PROCESS AND MIGRATORY BEEKEEPING CAN AFFECT BEE HEALTH AT MULTIPLE LEVELS, INCLUDING THE IMMUNE RESPONSE, PATHOGEN PREVALENCE, AND PESTICIDE RESISTANCE. OUR PROJECT AIMS TO 1) DETECT THE VIRAL PREVALENCE AND DISTRIBUTION IN TRANSPORTED BEES; 2) DEVELOP A NOVEL TOOL TO DETECT HONEY BEE VIRUS USING GENOME EDITING TOOLS; 3) DETERMINE THE EFFECTS OF TRANSPORTATION ON CHANGES IN NOSEMA AND IMMUNE GENE EXPRESSION; AND, 4) ILLUSTRATE THE MOLECULAR MECHANISMS OF HOW PESTICIDES AFFECT BEES, AND 5) USE AI AND MACHINE LEARNING TO DEVELOP A NEW TOOL TO PREDICT THE VIRAL STRESS IN WORKERS BASED ON THE BEHAVIOR OF WORKERS UNDER VIRAL INFECTIONS. THESE STUDIES WILL DISCOVER CRUCIAL AND NOVEL INFORMATION ON HOW TRANSPORTATION AFFECTS HONEYBEES AT INDIVIDUAL AND COLONY LEVELS. OUR RESEARCH WILL HELP TO SUSTAIN THE SURVIVAL AND HEALTH OF HONEYBEE POPULATIONS - ENSURING FOOD SECURITY AND BIOECONOMY OF APICULTURE. CENTRAL STATE UNIVERSITY, OHIO'S ONLY PUBLIC HBCU AND 1890 LAND-GRANT INSTITUTION IN COLLABORATING WITH MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY TO ENHANCE CSU'S RESEARCH CAPACITY AND TRAIN MINORITY STUDENTS TO JOIN THE FUTURE WORKFORCE FOR SUSTAINABLE AGRICULTURE.