NWO Veni Grant for Peter Karssemeijer (WUR)
Congratulations to Peter Karssemeijer (Biosystematics, WUR) on receiving the prestigious Veni grant.
The Veni is a personal scientific grant aimed at researchers who have recently obtained their PhD. The grant instrument allows recipients to conduct research of their own choosing [source].
From eggs to outbreaks: the role of insect egg-laying in pest evolution and plant defense
Dr. P.N. Karssemeijer, (Wageningen University & Research)
The Colorado potato beetle is feared by growers, but how did it become a pest, and can we use plant defense against it? This innovative project targets the role of insect eggs in pest evolution and plant defense.
In the US, wild beetle populations do not eat potato. By comparing these with Dutch pest populations I will study the evolution of potato preference. Moreover, some plants kill beetle eggs. I will study the evolution and mechanism of this plant defense trait. This study generates insights into pest evolution and contributes to novel plant resistance mechanisms to reduce pesticide use.
