elvirasimone

Plant-insect interactions have my main interest, both in the lab and in the field. In the past, I studied resistance of corn against fall armyworm, a voracious pest of corn. At the moment, I study defenses of cranberry against gypsy moth, spotted fireworm, Sparganothis fruitworm and blunt-nosed leafhopper, the most important pest insects on cranberry in New Jersey, USA. I aim to assess why some cranberry varieties are much more resistant against these herbivores than others. This research may lead to the development of more sustainable methods of pest control.

December 2013