Changing EU legislation regarding pesticide usage has created an enormous incentive for plant breeders to search for plant resistance to insects and mites, using both traditional breeding techniques and GMOs. However, theory predicts that when crops become more resistant, biological control will increasingly fail. In addition, as 20% of crops are lost due to arthropod pests, sustainable pest management is urgently needed. The research department Evolution and Population Biology at IBED investigates:
- How do plant defences affect interactions in communities of plant-inhabiting herbivores and their predators (see personal web page Merijn Kant)
- What is the effect of food web interactions on dynamics of pests and natural enemies in biological control systems (see personal web page Arne Janssen)
- How can chemical communication systems be exploited for sustainable strategies for crop protection and disease management (see personal web page Astrid Groot)