Project

Inducing thelytoky in the parasitoid Eretmocerus eremicus by transfection with bacterial endosymbionts

Code
17802312
Duration
01 June 2012 → 31 May 2013
Funding
Regional and community funding: IWT/VLAIO
Research disciplines
  • Natural sciences
    • Animal biology
    • General biology
    • Microbiology
    • Plant biology
  • Agricultural and food sciences
    • Agricultural plant production
    • Horticultural production
    • Veterinary medicine
Keywords
biological control Eretmocerus parasitoid wasp Wolbachia
 
Project description

The production of parasitoid wasps for augmentative biological control can be improved by developing parthenogenic populations that only consist of females. The objective of this project is to induce parthenogenesis in Eretmocerus eremicus, an economically important parasitoid of whitefly pests, by transfection with bacterial endosymbionts. For this purpose, a micro-injection system will be developed and optimized.