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Bioactivity of propolis from different geographical origins on Varroa destructor (Acari: Varroidae)

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Abstract

Varroa destructor is an ectoparasitic mite that affects colonies of honey bee Apis mellifera worldwide. In the last years, substances of botanical origin have emerged as natural alternative acaricides to diminish the population levels of the mite. In the present work, the bioactivity of propolis from different geographical locations of Pampean region from Argentina on V. destructor was evaluated. Fourteen propolis samples were organoleptic and physicochemically characterized and, by means topical applications, their activity was tested on mites. All propolis had a homogeneous composition and the bioactivity levels against mites were comparable among the different propolis samples. The percentage of mites killed by the treatments ranged between 60.5% and 90% after 30 s of exposure. Thus, V. destructor was highly susceptible to propolis. Moreover, the mites remained anesthetized during the first hours after topical treatment. The results suggest that propolis from Argentinean pampas could be incorporated in honey bee colonies as acaricidal treatment by spraying.

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Acknowledgements

We would to thank to all beekeepers that contributed to the propolis samples collections and the media involved in the called diffusion, Javier Folgar, Federico Petrera and their team. To Tec. Carlos Torne for the help in the physicochemical analyses of propolis samples in INTA Famailla, Tucumán. This study was support by PICT REDES Project Nº 00890 to ME (ANPCYT) and Exa Project Nº 376/07 to JM (UNMDP), Argentina.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratorio de Artrópodos, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Mar del Plata, Funes 3350 (7600) Mar del Plata, Buenos Aires, Argentina

    Natalia Damiani, Natalia J. Fernández, Martín J. Eguaras & Jorge A. Marcangeli

  2. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas (CONICET), Buenos Aires, Argentina

    Natalia Damiani, Natalia J. Fernández & Martín J. Eguaras

  3. Laboratorio Agroindustrias, Estación Experimental Agropecuaria Famaillá del Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA), Tucumán, Argentina

    Luis M. Maldonado & Alejandro R. Álvarez

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  1. Natalia Damiani
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  2. Natalia J. Fernández
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  3. Luis M. Maldonado
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  4. Alejandro R. Álvarez
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  5. Martín J. Eguaras
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  6. Jorge A. Marcangeli
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Correspondence to Natalia Damiani.

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Damiani, N., Fernández, N.J., Maldonado, L.M. et al. Bioactivity of propolis from different geographical origins on Varroa destructor (Acari: Varroidae). Parasitol Res 107, 31–37 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-010-1829-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-010-1829-7

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