>On Sun, 18 Feb 1996, Vince Coppola wrote:
 
>It's the height of the mountain I am concerned with. Mike and I have
>spent the past 3 yrs crash learning queen breeding, spent an enormous
>amout of money (for us anyway) and are just now starting to reap benefits.
>The object of our program is tracheal mite resistance. The only reason we
>have been able to make the progress we have is because there are not too
>many genes involved with what we are selecting for.
>
>Now I've been reading all I can about varroa resistance. There are many
>more characteristics  (more genes to select for) needed to accomplish
>that goal. That means many more tests, many more selections will be needed.
>And its not just one or two super queens that we need. To establish a program
>that would have an impact on how we keep bees, 30-50 lines need to be
>identified.
>
>I cannot imagine how an individual or even a large queen producer could
>fund such a project. How can it be funded? Can we find enough competant
>queen producers, researchers, and supporting beekeepers that are willing
>to work together? Wish I had some good ideas.
>
 
Yes cooperative breeding is needed indeed?  A lot of breeding resources need
to be focused on developing resistance.  One succesful program is not
sufficient.  The ideal situation would be to breed resistance in all the
good local stocks that are available on earth.  PRESERVING THE GENETIC
DIVERSITY IS A MUST.
 
We are starting a project here in Quebec.  Deschambault Research Station,
two commercial breeders (including myself) and Club Api will be involved.
Let us keep in touch.
 
Jean-Pierre Chapleau
eleveur de reines / queen breeder
1282, rang 8, Saint-Adrien de Ham, Quebec, Canada, J0A 1C0
tel./phone (819) 828-3396; fax (819) 828-0357
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