Honey Bee Health Research Concepts – the research we need
Published Mar 13, 2009
Over the last year or so, following on from our Research Colloquium in July 2007, the BBKA has been putting together a comprehensive programme indicating the research needed to help deal with bee health challenges and threats. “Honey Bee Health Research Concepts” was published in late February and is now available on the BBKA web-site as a 515KB PDF.
http://www.britishbee.org.uk/files/bbka-research-concepts.pdf
It sets out why and what research is needed and lists 30 projects under 12 programme areas with indicative costings of £8+ million. It is not intended to be prescriptive nor exclusive but should be an engine for debate in determining the setting of priorities and commissioning of projects. Its publication is timely given the announcement of funding by Defra and we look to it playing a major role in the allocation of those funds. The document covers areas as broad as varroa and nosema medication, through queen rearing, bee genetics, pesticide effects, habitat loss, bee nutrition and on to medicinal honey. ‘Research Concepts’ represents a broad programme which attempts to confront the issues; it is to be hoped that researchers will take up the cause and bid for the funding now available.
Tim Lovett