CP 151: Improving biological control in UK organic vegetable growers (BBSRC iCASE Studentship)

Leafhoppers are herbivorous hemipterans that feed on plants via a stylet that is used to pierce plant tissue and ingest fluids. They can also be vectors for a number of important plant diseases, including those caused by bacterial and viral pathogens.

Hauptidia maroccana (Melichar) is a poorly studied, sporadic pest in glasshouse cultivation and feeds on a wide range of wild and cultivated plants including peppers. Control of this insect lacks specificity, normally relying on broad-spectrum plant protection products. Due to the risks of insecticide resistance developing, effective monitoring methods are needed to help ensure controls can be targeted appropriately and are working effectively. IPM relies on accurate knowledge of the pest being managed. In the case of Hauptidia maroccana, there are many areas in which the knowledge of this pest is lacking. In particular, behavioural ecology within a crop, the susceptibility to generalist predators and efficacy of monitoring traps.

This project aims to answer key questions about the ecology of the pest leafhopper Hauptidia maroccana in order that management of this pest be improved. The project will examine the currently available strategies for management and monitoring with the intention of determining the efficacy of these as well as any directions for improvement.

Objectives

1. Examine the response of H. maroccana to visual cues to optimise the selectivity and/or efficacy of sticky traps.
2. Test the efficacy of generalist predators for control of H. maroccana. This will encompass foraging behaviours, feeding rate and prey preference.
3. Test for aggregative behaviours of the pest species to provide evidence for or against the formation of hotspots.