Research project: Tolerance of Ethiopian honeybees towards Varroa mites and associated viruses

Wallelign is an ARPPIS PhD scholar being supervised by Drs. Michael Lattorff, Workneh Ayalew, Abebe Jenberie (icipe).  He will work on understanding the tolerance mechanism of Ethiopian honeybees against Varroa mite and associated viruses’ infestation load.  His research targets on evaluating the contribution of behavioral traits and colony characteristics of Ethiopian honeybees interfering with Varroa mite reproduction and determining gene expression of honeybees with respect to Varroa mite and virus infestation load.

He holds a BSc. in animal range and wildlife science from Mekelle University and an MSc. in Apiculture from Bahir Dar University, Ethiopia. He has been working in Southern Agricultural Research Institute (Ethiopia) as an associate researcher on Apiculture and Sericulture.