Diversity and molecular analysis of Nosema spp. in bee colonies in Slovakia in connection with the occurrence of pesticide residues in environment

Bees are one of the most essential animal species for human sustenance, they pollinate up to 78% of flowering plants on Earth and about 70% of the main agricultural crops. This ability of bees is directly conditioned the health status of bee colonies. In recent years, this pollinator is threatened by a large number of infectious diseases bacteria, viruses, fungi and parasites that drastically decimate bee colonies. Their worldwide breeding and survival shows a decreasing tendency also due to environmental pollution. It is confirmed that preparations for plant protection products (POR) used in agriculture have an impact on bee biodiversity. Research in this area is at the beginning. There is very little information, for example, about the sublethal effect of such xenobiotics on the bee as the individual and the bee colony as a community in interaction with other stressors. Therefore, our goal is to find out potentially lethal, or sublethal effect of actually detected residues of POR-registered active substances on bee in interaction with the parasitic pressure of Nosema spp.