FIELD EVALUATION OF SOME NATURAL MATERIALS AGAINST CHALKBROOD DISEASE INFECTING HONEYBEE COLONIES

Abdel-Rahman, M.; Rateb, S. H.; Abou EL-Enain, H. T.

doi:10.21608/jppp.2009.217224

FIELD EVALUATION OF SOME NATURAL MATERIALS AGAINST CHALKBROOD DISEASE INFECTING HONEYBEE COLONIES

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

¹ Dept. of Apiculture, Plant Protection Research Institute, ARC, Dokki, Giza, Egypt.

² Plant Protection Dept., Faculty of Agriculture, Assiut University, Assiut, Egypt.

³ Beekeeping Research Dept., Plant Protection Research Institute (PPRI), Agricultural Research Center, Dokki, Giza, Egypt,

10.21608/jppp.2009.217224

Abstract

Five natural products were tested against chalkbrood disease infecting honeybee, Apis mellifera L. at Assiut Governorate during 2009. These natural materials were cinnamon; cloves; rose; thyme oils and ethanol propolis extract (EPE). Materials were applied with two methods added to colony food supplies. The obtained results showed that, the reduction rates of chalkbrood disease (%) were 37.1; 37.5; 36.5; 36.1 and 29.0% recorded in cinnamon; clove; rose; thyme oils and propolis, respectively applied with pollen supplement. Natural products applied with sugar syrup, the means of reduction were 9.9; 15.4; 8.4; 11.1 and 7.8% showed in the same treatments, respectively. It is shown that, brood rearing activity and bees mortality in treated colonies were not highly affected when adding essential oils or propolis to colony food supplies. The possible use of some natural products against chalkbrood disease in honeybee colonies as an alternative to routine chemical treatments is discussed. The application of these strategies enables beekeepers to reduction the chalkbrood infestation with reasonable additional labor and, at the same time, safe bee products.

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