While some are focussing on the impact of neo-nics on bees, University of Guelph researchers are making progress against another pollinator disease.
Professor Rob Merrill says American Foulbrood disease is the most widespread and destructive of bee brood diseases.
His team has found a toxin released by the pathogen that causes the disease and developed a lead-based inhibitor to work against it.
Professor Merrill says their idea is to disarm the bacteria, without killing it.
They feel that way the bacteria won't feel the pressure to mutate.
However, professor Merrill says they've only identified and characterized the toxin so far.
Now they have to figure out what it does and find ways to inhibit that.
The University of Guelph team plans to begin field studies on honeybees next spring with the Institute of Bee Research in Germany.
