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Effect of the Combined Use of Postbiotics and Oxalic Acid Against Varroa destructor Under Field Conditions

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  • Eduardo José García-Vicente

    (Department of Animal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary, University of Extremadura, 10003 Cáceres, Spain
    Neobéitar S.L. Av. de Alemania, 6 1ºB, 10001 Cáceres, Spain)

  • María Benito-Murcia

    (Department of Animal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary, University of Extremadura, 10003 Cáceres, Spain
    Neobéitar S.L. Av. de Alemania, 6 1ºB, 10001 Cáceres, Spain)

  • María Martín

    (Neobéitar S.L. Av. de Alemania, 6 1ºB, 10001 Cáceres, Spain
    Department of Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary, University of Extremadura, 10003 Cáceres, Spain)

  • Ana Pérez

    (Department of Animal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary, University of Extremadura, 10003 Cáceres, Spain
    Neobéitar S.L. Av. de Alemania, 6 1ºB, 10001 Cáceres, Spain)

  • Noelia Hermosilla

    (Neobéitar S.L. Av. de Alemania, 6 1ºB, 10001 Cáceres, Spain)

  • Salomé Martínez-Morcillo

    (Department of Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary, University of Extremadura, 10003 Cáceres, Spain)

  • Juan Manuel Alonso

    (Department of Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary, University of Extremadura, 10003 Cáceres, Spain)

  • David Risco

    (Department of Animal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary, University of Extremadura, 10003 Cáceres, Spain)

Abstract

Varroa destructor is a parasitic mite of honeybees that is considered one of the main problems in beekeeping today. The reduction in the efficacy of conventional miticides and the presence of residues in beehives highlight the need to investigate new organic products as alternative treatments. Postbiotic products have been shown to decrease mite viability in in vitro experiments. However, their use in beehives has not yet been assessed. The aim of this study was to test the efficacy of postbiotics and oxalic acid against V. destructor under field conditions. Two experiments were performed during the summer and autumn seasons, with four study groups: control (C), postbiotic (POS), oxalic acid (OX), and both combined (POX). Phoretic and brood V. destructor were determined at the beginning and end of the study to assess their evolution, as well as the percentage effectiveness of each treatment by registering the mite fall in beehive sanitary bottoms. Postbiotic alone did not show a significant effect on V. destructor under field conditions. However, the combined treatment of postbiotics and oxalic acid improved the results obtained with oxalic acid alone, resulting in greater effectiveness and reduction of phoretic and brood V. destructor .

Suggested Citation

  • Eduardo José García-Vicente & María Benito-Murcia & María Martín & Ana Pérez & Noelia Hermosilla & Salomé Martínez-Morcillo & Juan Manuel Alonso & David Risco, 2025. "Effect of the Combined Use of Postbiotics and Oxalic Acid Against Varroa destructor Under Field Conditions," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 15(12), pages 1-14, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jagris:v:15:y:2025:i:12:p:1292-:d:1679553
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Fanny Mondet & Joachim R de Miranda & Andre Kretzschmar & Yves Le Conte & Alison R Mercer, 2014. "On the Front Line: Quantitative Virus Dynamics in Honeybee (Apis mellifera L.) Colonies along a New Expansion Front of the Parasite Varroa destructor," PLOS Pathogens, Public Library of Science, vol. 10(8), pages 1-15, August.
    2. Bin Han & Jiangli Wu & Qiaohong Wei & Fengying Liu & Lihong Cui & Olav Rueppell & Shufa Xu, 2024. "Life-history stage determines the diet of ectoparasitic mites on their honey bee hosts," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-15, December.
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