Thai Sacbrood Virus

Syllabus: GS3/ Environment

Context

• The Thai Sacbrood Virus (TSBV) poses a significant threat to pollinators, vital for agricultural productivity and nutritional security.

Thai Sacbrood Virus

• It is a highly contagious viral disease that primarily affects Apis cerana indica (Asiatic honey bees).
• Symptoms: Infected larvae turn yellow and eventually black, adopting a sac-like appearance due to incomplete pupation.
• Geographical Spread: First identified in Southern India (1991-1992), it devastated nearly 90% of Asiatic honey bee (Apis cerana indica) colonies.
• It reemerged in Telangana in 2021 and also has been reported in China and Vietnam.
• Transmission: The exact transmission pathways remain unclear, likely mechanisms include:
  • Direct contact: Spread through bee-to-bee interactions and contaminated hive equipment.
  • Viral spillover occurs from managed honey bees to wild pollinators, which mutate the virus and increase its virulence.

Importance of Pollination

• Crop Yield: Pollination is essential for the reproduction of approximately 75% of global food crops.
• Ecosystem Services: Pollinators like bees, butterflies, and birds play a pivotal role in maintaining ecological balance and supporting other species in the food chain.
• Climate Resilience: Pollination aids in the adaptation of plants to changing climates by promoting genetic diversity.

Honey bees in India

• India hosts more than 700 bee species, including four indigenous honey bees:
  • Asiatic honey bee (Apis cerana indica), 
  • Giant rock bee (Apis dorsata), 
  • Dwarf honey bee (Apis florea), 
  • The stingless bee (sp. Trigona). 
• Western honey bees were introduced in India in 1983 to increase the country’s honey yield.

Source: TH