The use of microbes in sustainable agriculture practice has been seen as an important alternative to the use of chemical pesticides, which can lead to the development of resistance in pests as well as harmful non-target effects on beneficial insects, such as pollinators. However, microbial colonization of flowers has been shown to influence floral rewards and signaling and therefore have the potential to impact pollination services. Therefore, it is important to understand the effects of candidate biocontrol agents on pollinator foraging behaviors. Aureobasidium pullulans is a common candidate for microbial biocontrol applications, and previous behavioral screenings have shown variation in pollinator feeding preferences to three separate A. pullulans isolates in honey bees and bumblebees. This study will expand upon these results by characterizing the effects of a larger screening of A. pullulans isolates on the feeding preferences of Bombus impatiens (common eastern bumble bee). Ideal biocontrol candidates will have minimal to positive effects on pollinator feeding preference and A. pullulans isolates that meet these criteria can be utilized further in studies examining longer range effects on pollinator behavior as well as efficacy of these isolates to combat common agricultural pathogens. Furthermore, these screening assays pave the way for future studies examining the mechanism underlying variation in B. impatiens responses to floral microbes.
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