Towards Precision Nutrition: A Novel Concept Linking Phytochemicals, Immune Response and Honey Bee Health

NEGRI P; VILLALOBOS E; SZAWARSKI N; DAMIANI N; GENDE L; GARRIDO M; MAGGI M; QUINTANA S,; LAMATTINA L; EGUARAS M

INSECTS

American Association of Professional Apiculturists

Año: 2019

2075-4450

The high annual losses of managed honey bees (Apis mellifera) has attracted intensive attention, and scientists have dedicated much eort trying to identify the stresses aecting bees. There are, however, no simple answers; rather, research suggests multifactorial eects. Several works have been reported highlighting the relationship between bees? immunosuppression and the eects ofmalnutrition, parasites, pathogens, agrochemical and beekeeping pesticides exposure, forage dearth and cold stress. Here we analyze a possible connection between immunity-related signaling pathways that could be involved in the response to the stress resulted from Varroa-virus association and coldstress during winter. The analysis was made understanding the honey bee as a superorganism, where individuals are integrated and interacting within the colony, going from social to individual immune responses. We propose the term ?Precision Nutrition? as a way to think and study bees? nutrition in the search for key molecules which would be able to strengthen colonies? responses to any or all of those stresses combined.