So what's the problem?
The chrysomelid Diabrotica virgifera virgifera has become a serious pest of maize since it successfully invaded the USA and Europe. As D. v. virgifera has been introduced multiple times, several disparate populations of D. v. virgifera are known to exist in Europe. Thereafter, D. v. virgifera represents a good model organism to study the adaptation and characteristics associated with successful invasions.
Studies on environmentally-induced phenotypic differences among invading, non-invading or source populations from the area of origin may help to understand the role of phenotypic plasticity and local adaptations in this successful invasion. Variability of phenotypic traits, such as body size, may be used as indicators of genetic diversity, which is likely to be lower for invading populations owing to genetic bottlenecks than for the source populations. It may also reflect genetic changes due to the selection pressure from the new environment on the insect.
What is this project doing?
Results so far
So far, the large amount of fitness data of different D. v. virgifera strains has been finalised. In particular the fitness data has been analyzed with regard to their possible effects on the population growth rates and thus increasing problems with this invader in Europe.
Project Executive
Ulrich Kuhlmann
Address: Rue des Grillons 1, CH-2800 Delemont, Switzerland
Tel: +41 (0)32 421 4882
Email: u.kuhlmann@cabi.org
Project Manager
Stefan Toepfer
Address: c/o Plant Protection Directorate Rarosi ut, 110 H - 6800 Hodmezovasarhely, Hungary
Tel: +36 62 535740
Email: s.toepfer@cabi.org
Project Team
Tim Haye
Tel: +41 (0)32 4214883
Email: t.haye@cabi.org
Hongmei Li
Address: C/o CAAS-CABI Project Office, C/o Internal Post Box 56, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, 12 Zhongguancun Nandajie, Beijing 100081, China
Tel: +86 (0)10 6289 8289
Email: h.li@cabi.org
Senior Supplier
Matthew Cock
Address: Bakeham Lane, Egham, Surrey, TW209TY, United Kingdom
Tel: +44 (0)1491 829037
Email: m.cock@cabi.org
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