Tasks

Researcher in the project “Securing potato cultivation through innovative cicada management in Hesse” (SIKAZIKA). 

Project profile EU 

Project profile Hesse

The project focuses on the planthopper (Pentastiridius leporinus), a vector insect of the bacterial pathogens ‘Candidatus Arsenophonus phytopathogenicus’ and ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma solani’. 

Part of our work involves investigating the behaviour biology of the planthopper and deriving potential countermeasures for use in potato cultivation. This encompasses the following:

• Real-time PCR of caught planthoppers in the project test fields for the above-mentioned pathogens over the course of June, July, and August
• Substrate preference of soil type or transfer mulch for egg laying (greenhouse experiments)
• Mating behavior of the planthopper via vibration communication (biotremology)
• Lethal effects of a wild potato species on the planthopper (bioassays)
• Plant volatiles (volatile organic compounds) by means of volatile collection
• Separation and analysis of plant volatiles by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (GC/MS)
• Gas chromatography coupled with electroantennodetection (GC-EAD)