Project properties
Title Using insect frass in a diverse cropping system and its effects on the insect community and biocontrol
Group Entomology, Laboratory of
Project type thesis
Credits 24-39
Supervisor(s) Andi Dirham Nasruddin; Erik Poelman
Examiner(s) Erik Poelman, Marcel Dicke
Contact info andi.nasruddin@wur.nl
Begin date 2024/05/01
End date 2025/12/31
Description This project can be a BSc thesis, an MSc thesis, or an internship.

Insect frass, a promising alternative fertilizer composed of insect excretion and exuviae, enhances plant defenses against herbivorous insects. Our study aims to investigate its effects in strip cropping fields, which promote insect diversity and species richness, and its effects on plant defenses against herbivorous insects. The field experiment will be conducted in the Droevendaal Fields starting in June 2024.

In this project, you will observe:
1. Insect diversity and population - to understand the dynamics of the insect herbivory in a frass + intercropping system.
2. Biological control - to understand the effects of frass + intercropping on biocontrol of insect herbivores.

You can get in touch with andi.nasruddin@wur.nl to discuss more details and the project's launch.
Used skills Agroecology, insect ecology, insect visual observations
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.