Dissemination of Bacteria Antagonistic to<i>Erwinia amylovora</i>by Honey Bees

Abstract

Foraging honey bees (Apis mellifera) were tested for ability to disseminate bacteria antagonistic to Erwinia amylovora to apple and pear flowers in commercial orchards. The bacteria, Pseudomonas fluorescens and E. herbicola, previously known to provide biological control of fire blight, were placed on apple or cattail pollen at populations of 10 9 and 10 8 bacteria per gram, respectively. There was no significant decline in viable bacteria on either pollen over 3 wk at 4 C. These bacteria-treated pollens were placed in pollen inserts in the entrances of beehives (.)