BIOINSECTICIDES - Biological to protect sugar beets against insects

Biological control of pests and pathogens opens the door for environmentally friendly plant protection. However, there is an urgent need for developing methods, strategies and/or substances to effectively control the increasing incidences of yield losses due to insect pests. The objective of this project is to develop a novel bioinsecticide. Therefore, this project will include screening towards insecticidal organisms, investigation of their insecticidal properties and the interaction between the host plant, the pest organism and applied control organism via volatile organic compounds (VOCs) as well as the influence on other beneficial organisms in the field. Experiments will focus primarily on sugar beet (Beta vulgaris) cultivars, but will be translated to other host plants as well. Our main insect model organisms will be aphids (Aphididae spp.). The aim of this project is to discover new, biological-based management methods to effectively control insect pests that are able to push yield losses under an economic threshold.