IPSP is working on behalf of the University of Turin on bee virus diagnosis in the Melior’api project, funded by ALCOTRA 2021-2027.
The project consists of 8 points:
- The goal of the Melior’api project is to enable beekeepers to improve the results of their operations by selecting queens that show the best performance during the season in terms of production, population dynamism, Varroa resistance, and winter survival.
- The Melior’api project uses a multicriteria indicator (operator) to rank colonies in an apiary dedicated to this selection operation. This indicator (operator) ranks colonies based on their ability to achieve the best compromise between performances measured during the season.
- Melior’api offers beekeepers strategies to multiply selected queens and prepare swarms to renew the dedicated apiary and improve its performance from year to year.
- In addition to female pathway selection (queen selection), Melior’api explores strategies for male pathway control and their implementation on farms, both individually and collectively.
- During the development of the Melior’api program, specific workshops will be organized to train project beekeepers or other beekeepers who might join them.
- Fact sheets will be produced to clearly guide beekeepers through the procedures to follow during the season, from taking measurements to producing new swarms.
- Finally, the Melior’api project will use a survey of project beekeepers to study the benefits and difficulties of implementing the entire colony renewal procedure, from taking measures during the season to spreading genetic improvements on the farm.
- The Meior’api project will develop an application (web and telephone) to ease beekeepers in colony ranking at the end of the season.
Project Leader: Cristina Marzachì
IPSP personnel: Sabrina Palmano, Flavio Veratti, Valeria Grande (Scholarship Holder).
Start: 09/10/2023
End: 08/10/2026