Project properties
Title Intercropping increases biocontrol by enhancing honeydew availability and quality
Group Entomology, Laboratory of
Project type thesis
Credits 24-39
Supervisor(s) Gabriele Bolletta, Erik Poelman
Examiner(s) Erik Poelman, Marcel Dicke
Contact info gabriele.bolletta@wur.nl
Begin date 2024/05/01
End date 2026/05/01
Description Intercropping has often shown improved biological control compared to monoculture. However, these effects are not consistent and appear to be context and species-dependent. In order to achieve more reliable outcomes, a better understanding of the underlying mechanisms is required. Honeydew often represents the most abundant sugar source in agricultural fields and its availability and quality might be enhanced in intercropping systems, providing alternative food resources to natural enemies throughout the year. Nevertheless, the role of honeydew has been vastly overlooked in intercropping. In this project you will disentangle the effects of honeydew in intercropping on the biocontrol of insects, revealing its role in supporting ecosystem services. During the project you will test the parasitism rate of pests in a intercropping system manipulated to include or exclude honeydew, to prove its effect on the longevity and parasitism capacity of natural enemies.
Used skills Biocontrol, Agroecology, insect behavior, tri-trophic interactions, statistical analysis.
Requirements For doing a BSc-thesis at Entomology, there are no requirements for specific courses.
For doing a MSc-thesis or Research Practice at Entomology, the following requirements apply: ENT-30806 + a second ENT-course (preferably ENT-30306 or ENT-50806 or ENT-53806). As an alternative for the second ENT-course, PHP-30806 or BHE-30306 can be selected.
For doing an Internship, the following requirements apply: ENT-30806.
Note:
1) these requirements do not apply for MBI students;
2) MBI students should check the requirements for doing an ENT MSc-thesis, Research Practice or Internship in the study programme of their specialisation.