Thymol

thymolbehandlung_20170128

In the 1990s, the Bee Research Centre took part in a screening programme testing the potential effectiveness of over 100 essential oils and essential oil components against the varroa mite. Although sage, hyssop and thyme oils proved interesting, only thymol has been used in acaricide products. Thymol treatments require little effort, and there are a variety of preparations on the market. The advantages and drawbacks of thymol use are listed in the articles "Apilife VAR: A new varroacide with thymol as the main ingredient" and "THYMOVAR for Varroa control".

Use of essential oils for the control of Varroa jacobsoni (Oud.) in honey bee colonies (PDF, 1 MB, 20.01.2017)
A. Imdorf, S. Bogdanov, R. Ibáñez Ochoa, N. W. Calderone (1999)

System Design and Assessment of Technological Innovations

Project number: 22.14.20.05.04

System Design and Assessment of Technological Innovations

Es werden viele neue Technologien angeboten, entwickelt und getestet, welche eine nachhaltigere Produktion versprechen, z.B. mit geringerer Umweltbelastung, niedrigeren Kosten oder leichteren Arbeitsbedingungen. Beispiele sind innovative Substrate für Spezialkulturen, alternative Proteinquellen wie Mikro-Algen oder Vertical Farming. Allerdings können die Versprechen oft nicht eingehalten werden und Zielkonflikte treten auf. Deshalb müssen Nachhaltigkeitsüberlegungen schon bei der Konzeption der Systeme einfliessen (Ökodesign). Das vorliegende Projekt wendet einen strukturierten Prozess zur Entwicklung und Bewertung innovativer Technologien an unter Einbezug der wichtigsten Produzenten und Nutzer.

Last Name, First Name Location
Bagnoud Mariluz Liebefeld
Douziech Mélanie Reckenholz
Ehlers Melf-Hinrich Tänikon
Gaillard Gérard Tänikon
Lansche Jens Reckenholz
Nemecek Tomas Reckenholz
Stüssi Martin Reckenholz

Rödiger M., Zorn A., Mielewczik M., Heitkämper K., Roesch A., El Benni N.
Effects of pesticide reduction on labour time and profitability.
In: TopAGRI COST action. 29 January, Publ. COST, Online. 2025.

Rödiger M., Mejia B., Nemecek T., Mann S., El Benni N., Anken T.
Wo stehen wir bei den Nachhaltigkeitsindikatoren?
In: 12. Nachhaltigkeitstagung. 23. Januar, Publ. Agroscope, Zürich (CH). 2025.

Ehlers M.-H., El Benni N., Douziech M.
Implementing responsible research and innovation and sustainability assessment in research projects: A framework and application.
Research Policy, 54, (2), 2025, Article 105164.

Douziech M., Mann S., Galley S., Lansche J.
A classification scheme for urban agriculture combining technical properties with characteristics related to the economic and social sustainability.
Agronomy for Sustainable Development, 44, 2024, Article 54.

Douziech M., Ehlers M.-H., Baumeyer Brahier A., Bagnoud M., Gaillard G.
Nachhaltigkeitsbewertung der Algenproduktion als alternatives Futtermittel.
In: . 22. Oktober, Publ. Agroscope, Zürich. 2024.

Rödiger M., Zorn A., Mielewczik M., Heitkämper K., Roesch A., El Benni N.
How does pesticide reduction affect labour time and profitability?: A crop production case study.
Agricultural Systems, 220, 2024, Article 104101.

Mejia B. M., Stüssi M., Mehner E., Gaillard G., Douziech M.
A practitioner-driven methodological framework to assess the sustainability of regional food products.
In: 14th International Conference LCAFood. 9 September, Publ. IRTA, Barcelona (ES). 2024, 1-14.

Lansche J., Mann S., Galley S., Douziech M.
A consistent classification of urban agriculture as prerequisite for a sound sustainability assessment.
In: Vth European Horticulture Congress. 12-16 May, Publ. ISHS, Bucharest (RO). 2024, 14.

Rödiger M., Mielewczik M., Heitkämper K., Roesch A., Zorn A.
Auswirkungen verschiedener Pflanzenschutzstrategien auf den Arbeitszeitbedarf.
In: Tagungsband des 24. Arbeitswissenschaftlichen Kolloquiums des Fachausschusses Arbeitswissenschaften im Landbau. Publ. Quendler, E., Kajdy, O., Wien. 2024, 80-83.

Rödiger M.
Überbetriebliche Faktoren für die Verlängerung der Nutzungsdauer von Milchkühen.
In: 46. Agrarökonomie-Tagung. 21. November, Publ. Agroscope, Tänikon (CH). 2023, 1-20.

Muñoz-Liesa J., Cuerva E., Gassó-Domingo S., Gabarrell X., Nemecek T., Josa A.
Guidelines to optimize covering and structural materials in a rooftop-integrated greenhouses: An environmental assessment.
Acta Horticulturae, 1356, 2023, 285-294.

Rödiger M., Home R.
Systemic enablers and barriers to extending the productive life of dairy cows in Switzerland.
Journal of Rural Studies, 100, 2023, 1-10.

Moretti D. M., Baum C. M., Ehlers M.-H., Finger R., Bröring S.
Exploring actors' perceptions of the precision agriculture innovation system: A Group Concept Mapping approach in Germany and Switzerland.
Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 189, 2023, 1-15.

Iten L., Lansche J., Audoye P., Farrant L.
Building environmentally sustainable supply chains.
In: Proceedings of the 13th International Conference on Life Cycle Assessment of Food 2022 (LCA Foods 2022). 12-14 October, Publ. Peruvian Life Cycle Assessment and Industrial Ecology Network and Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú, Lima (Peru). 2022.

Muñoz-Liesa J., Cuerva E., Parada F., Volk D., Gassó-Domingo S., Josa A., Nemecek T.
Urban greenhouse covering materials: Assessing environmental impacts and crop yields effects.
Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 186, 2022, 1-13.

Apilife VAR: A new varroacide with thymol as the main ingredient (PDF, 103 kB, 20.01.2017)
A. Imdorf, S. Bogdanov, V. Kilchenmann, C. Maquelin (1994)

"THYMOVAR" for Varroa control (PDF, 75 kB, 27.01.2017)
F. Bollhalder (1998)


Although the use of thymol leads to residues in the wax and honey, these are negligible from a toxicological viewpoint. Since about 2008 the use of thymol-based products has been declining in Switzerland, and beekeepers making use of these products have tended to experience greater winter losses than those using e.g. formic acid.

Thymol residues in wax and honey after Apilife VAR treatment (PDF, 757 kB, 14.09.2016)
S. Bogdanov, A. Imdorf, V. Kilchenmann (1998) 

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