Synergistic effects of floral phytochemicals against a bumble bee parasite.

ABSTRACT: Floral landscapes comprise diverse phytochemical combinations. Individual phytochemicals in floral nectar and pollen can reduce infection in bees and directly inhibit trypanosome parasites. However, gut parasites of generalist pollinators, which consume nectar and pollen from many plant species, are exposed to phytochemical combinations. Interactions between phytochemicals could augment or decrease effects of single compounds on parasites. Using a matrix of 36 phytochemical treatment combinations, we assessed the combined effects of two floral phytochemicals, eugenol and thymol, against four strains of the bumblebee gut trypanosome Crithidia bombi. Eugenol and thymol had synergistic effects against C. bombi growth across seven independent experiments, showing that the phytoch

SUBMITTER: Palmer-Young EC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5355193 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature