Reducing insect pests on cereal crops by exploiting beneficial species interactions

This project will use a combination of greenhouse and chemical analyses to understand how beneficial soil microbes reduce sap-feeding insect pests through plant-mediated effects on the insect itself and by recruiting natural enemies of the pest. Climate change is expanding insect pest range distributions and shifting insect phenology leading to desynchronization with natural enemy populations and resulting in increased chances of pest outbreaks. With increasing levels of insecticide resistance within pest populations, we need to find alternative solutions for pest control in our cropping systems. Promising strategies include manipulating soil microbiomes for increased plant resistance to pests and promoting recruitment of natural enemies for pest control services in crop fields.
Greenhouse experiments will use multifactorial experiments to unravel important interactions that have strong potential for reducing pest numbers in crop fields. This work will involve training on experimental design, plant-microbe-insect handling, and statistical and bioinformatics analyses. Chemical analysis will focus on plant chemicals that can alter insect growth rates and enhance the effectiveness of natural enemies for pest population control. This analysis will be undertaken in the Centre for Metabolomics Research at Liverpool University. The student will also spend time at the co-supervisors research group in Newcastle University, where they will use transcriptomic analysis on insect samples to address the molecular response within the insect. These three aspects of the project are complementary and will come together to produce a fuller understanding of how beneficial soil microbes can reduce pest populations in our crop systems.

HOW TO APPLY
Applications should be made by emailing [Email Address Removed] with a CV (including contact details of at least two academic (or other relevant) referees), and a covering letter – clearly stating your first choice project, and optionally 2nd and 3rd ranked projects, as well as including whatever additional information you feel is pertinent to your application; you may wish to indicate, for example, why you are particularly interested in the selected project(s) and at the selected University. Applications not meeting these criteria will be rejected.
In addition to the CV and covering letter, please email a completed copy of the Additional Details Form (Word document) to [Email Address Removed]. A blank copy of this form can be found at: https://www.nld-dtp.org.uk/how-apply.
Informal enquiries may be made to [Email Address Removed]