Apidologie 34 (2003) 417-427
DOI: 10.1051/apido:2003040

Evaluation of some essential oils for the control and prevention of American Foulbrood disease in honey bees

Graciela N. Albo^a, Cynthia Henning^b, Jorge Ringuelet^b, Francisco J. Reynaldi^c, Marisa R. De Giusti^d and Adriana M. Alippi<sup>c

a</sup>  Curso de Zootecnia AMG, Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias y Forestales, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, 1900 La Plata, Argentina
^b  Curso de Fitoquímica, Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias y Forestales, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, 1900 La Plata, Argentina
^c  Centro de Investigaciones de Fitopatología, Facultad de Ciencias Agrarias y Forestales, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, calles 60 y 119 s/n, cc 31, 1900 La Plata, Argentina
^d  Departamento de Fisicomatemática, Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad Nacional de La Plata, 49 y 115 s/n, 1900 La Plata, Argentina

(Received 30 May 2002; revised 4 September 2002; accepted 31 October 2002)

Abstract
American Foulbrood (AFB), caused by the spore-forming bacterium Paenibacillus larvae larvae, is the most serious disease of honeybees. Laboratory and field trials were conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of essential oils from savory, thyme, lemon-grass, and oregano, and blends of lemon-grass + thyme; lemon-grass + thyme + oregano + basil, and lemon-grass + thyme + basil in preventing and controlling infections of AFB in Apis mellifera colonies. The principal components of the essential oils used were determined by gas chromatography. LD ₅₀ values for acute oral toxicity of the oils on adult bees verified that the essences were non-toxic or slightly toxic. Results from field trials indicate that neither the essences nor the blends were effective in the elimination of AFB clinical symptoms at any dose formulation or method of administration tested, whereas tylosin was highly effective in eliminating AFB clinical symptoms.

Key words: American foulbrood / Apis mellifera / Paenibacillus larvae larvae / essential oil / tylosin

Correspondence and reprints: Adriana M. Alippi
    e-mail: alippi@biol.unlp.edu.ar

© INRA, EDP Sciences, DIB, AGIB 2003