Italian National Agency for New Technologies, Energy and Sustainable Economic Development
MEDIA - Press office ENEA
Environment: new molecule to eradicate bee pests thanks to ENEA's 5x1000 taxpayer funding
An innovative biopesticide capable of combating the insects that are ‘enemies’ of bees and beehives, without posing risks to the environment or human health is being developed by a team of researchers at the ENEA Trisaia Research Center (Matera), coordinated by entomologist Salvatore Arpaia as part of the RNApi project, funded by the 5x1000 tax mechanism. A special molecule has been developed that functions as a targeted “switch”: it identifies a key gene in the small hive beetle, Aethina tumida, and “silences” it by blocking the production of a protein essential for its growth and development. In this way, the pest can be controlled without harming the bees. The initial results were published in the Springer-Nature group’s Journal of Pest Science and pave the way for the use of innovative green biotechnologies to protect bees, precious “sentinels of biodiversity.”
“Our studies have demonstrated, for the first time, that it is possible to effectively silence a key gene for the development and reproduction of the small hive beetle, Aethina tumida, by administering the molecule to the larvae. And the same molecule is harmless to bees” explained Salvatore Arpaia, an ENEA researcher at the Bioenergy, Biorefinery and Green Chemistry Division.
To verify the effectiveness of the molecule (double-stranded RNA) against the invasive species, ENEA and the Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale del Mezzogiorno conducted experimental laboratory tests at the institute’s headquarters in Reggio Calabria, thanks to funding from the Ministries of Health and of University and Research.
In addition, as part of the ENEA RNApi project, the laboratory at the Trisaia Research Center has obtained accreditation from the Ministry of Health to perform genetic modification on a non-pathogenic strain of Escherichia coli; this will allow for the more efficient and cost-effective production of double-stranded RNA molecules, the “active ingredient” of the future biopesticide. Based on the results already obtained, these molecules will also be used in trials on infested hives, with the aim of developing a
The small hive beetle, Aethina tumida, is an invasive species native to sub-Saharan Africa that causes damage to European honeybee colonies by feeding on wax, eggs, and bee larvae, and by causing the honey produced to become sour. Within the European Union, the insect is classified as an invasive alien species of concern[1], following its detection in Calabria in 2014, where it remains established. Its recent spread from mainland Italy to Sicily, with confirmed infestations in apiaries in the province of Messina, underscores the urgency of effective containment to limit its territorial spread.
Chemical control of hive pests is particularly complex, as treatments must be effective against infestations without harming the health of the colonies or the quality and safety of hive products. The limited availability of authorized veterinary medicines for bees, as recently highlighted by the Federation of European Veterinarians, makes the situation worse. To date, emergency measures have been implemented, including restrictions on the movement of live bees, beekeeping equipment and products containing honeycomb, limitations on migratory beekeeping for pollination services, and the mandatory destruction of infested bee colonies in certain areas of Calabria.
“Although necessary, these measures entail significant costs for beekeepers, which are in addition to the direct losses caused by infestations. This is precisely why it is crucial to continue supporting public scientific research to develop solutions that are more effective and sustainable than chemical pesticides, as the ENEA ‘RNApi’ project—funded by Italian taxpayers through the 5x1000 program—aims to demonstrate”, concluded Arpaia.