Continuing the discussion Re: contradictory conclusions, breeding for hygienic behavior has been carried out for more than half a century. And yet, the following suggests that this trait has not been enhanced in Australia bees.

> 32 colonies derived from various commercial lines were tested for expression of hygienic behaviour using the liquid nitrogen field assay. Of these colonies, 4 (12.5%) exhibited distinct hygienic behaviour, 13 (41%) were distinctly non-hygienic and the remaining 15 (46.5%) intermediate between the two (Figure 4.5). This is in agreement with the findings of Oldroyd that only approximately 20% of commercial honeybee stock in Australia expresses the hygienic behavioural phenotype (Oldroyd 1996a). It is very surprising that there has been _no improvement in the frequency of the hygienic trait since 1995_, as industry has made considerable efforts to distribute hygienic stock.

Breeding hygienic disease resistant bees
A report for the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation
by Keryn Wilkes & Dr. Ben Oldroyd
School of Biological Sciences
University of Sydney May 2002 RIRDC Publication

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