Anusha is a PhD student under a Syngenta funded SWBio DTP CASE Project, which aims to develop semiochemical-based alternative strategies for the management of wireworms. Wireworms are polyphagous pests causing seedling mortality and yield loss of agricultural crops in Europe and North America. Her research focuses on studying and determining the role of volatile organic compounds produced by roots of host crops in the behaviour of wireworms, which can then be used to optimise semiochemical based strategies to monitor and manage wireworm populations. This work will use a range of techniques, including insect behavioural bioassays, dynamic headspace collections, gas chromatography (GC), GC-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and GC-coupled electroantennography (GC-EAG). This is a collaborative project between Rothamsted Research, the University of the West of England, and Syngenta.
