Davis, California
May 10, 2007
Intent on meeting the needs of
California's multibillion dollar agriculture industry, the
University of
California, Davis, is revitalizing its honey-bee research
program, the oldest such program in the nation.
Once a powerhouse in bee biology research, the UC Davis program
declined during the 1990s as faculty retirements and budget
shortages collided. With California's honey-bee industry now
facing challenges ranging from mites to small hive beetles to
colony collapse disorder, rebuilding the 65-year-old program has
become critical.
California agriculture produces almonds, alfalfa, sunflowers,
tree fruit and many other crops that rely on bees for
pollination each spring.
"The honey-bee industry plays a key role in the success of
California agriculture, and it is imperative that UC Davis
provide the research necessary to help solve some of the
pressing problems related to bee health, breeding and
pollination," said Neal Van Alfen, dean of the College of
Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. "During the coming
years we will be adding new staff and faculty to our bee biology
program and renovating the Harry Laidlaw Jr. Honey Bee Research
Facility here on campus."
One of the first steps toward rebuilding the research program is
the hiring of accomplished bee breeder and geneticist Susan
Cobey, who has been at The Ohio State University. Cobey arrives
this week as full-time manager of the Laidlaw bee biology
facility and plans to begin offering specialized classes to bee
breeders in May and June.
"It is a huge honor to help revive UC Davis' bee biology
laboratory," said Cobey, who worked in the Laidlaw lab during
the late 1970s and early 1980s. She was mentored by its
namesake, the late Professor Harry Laidlaw, who inspired her
career choice. She has gone on to become a leading expert in
instrumental insemination of bees and practical bee breeding.
"California is the center for the bee industry and home to some
of the nation's best beekeepers," Cobey said. "I look forward to
working with them, with an emphasis on stock improvement."
In addition to hiring Cobey, the bee biology program will be
further bolstered by:
- The addition of a new
professor in UC Davis' entomology department who will
specialize in the biology of bee pollination. That position
is expected to be filled by late fall, according to Walter
Leal, who chairs the entomology department.
- A $500,000 renovation of
the 8,200 square foot Laidlaw bee biology facility, which is
home to laboratories, offices, an apiarium with glass-walled
observation hives, a honey-bee food processing room and
shop. The building is being remodeled to include a larger
multipurpose room, a walk-in freezer and other facility
improvements.
- The establishment of a $1
million endowment fund that will directly support research
efforts in the areas of honey-bee genetics and pollination
biology. Through the generous support of the estate of Harry
and Ruth Laidlaw and contributions from the beekeeping
industry, the endowment has already surpassed the $400,000
mark. All of the earnings from this endowment will support
graduate students and research projects directly related to
honey bees.
For her part, Cobey will
focus on strengthening ties between the university research
community and the honey-bee industry. She maintains a
breeding line of bees known as New World Carniolans, which
she developed during the early 1980s, when she was a
professional bee breeder and co-owner of Vaca Valley
Apiaries in Northern California.
She will collaborate with Cooperative Extension apiculturist
Eric Mussen, who has anchored the bee biology program's
research and industry education efforts during the lean
years. His bee industry leadership and research in the areas
of colony management, pollination, mite control and
insecticide damage, were recently recognized by the American
Association of Professional Apiculturists, which awarded
Mussen its Apicultural Excellence Award. Mussen was also the
first noncommercial bee producer to receive the prestigious
Beekeeper of the Year Award at the 2006 California State
Beekeepers Association Conference. |
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