Developing a push-pull bio-insecticidal strategy to control establishment pests in oilseed rape based on attractant and repellent semiochemicals

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OSR is the second largest UK crop after cereals, but is under significant threat due to the withdrawal of the major conventionalpesticides previously used to control pests such as cabbage stem flea beetle and slugs. The use of volatilesemiochemicals (behaviour-modifying 'information signals' such as pheromones) to lure pests away from a crop is apowerful strategy for crop protection; it can allow effective pest control without causing environmental harm orgenerating unwanted residues on the crop itself. Over the course of this PhD project you will develop "push-pull" strategies for OSR protection, whereby repellentsemiochemicals placed within or near the crop are used in combination with attractant semiochemicals placed as lures orwithin trap crops at a more remote location. This will involve laboratory studies with the pests themselves,determination of the most effective blends and formulations of semiochemical compounds and field trials to determinetheir effectiveness for OSR protection - and any negative effects on non-target/beneficial organisms - under real-worldconditions. You will develop skills and experience in invertebrate rearing, handling and taxonomy, plant growth studies,behavioural bioassays, invertebrate electrophysiology, analytical chemistry, semiochemical formulation and conductingfield trials (design and assessment methods). The outputs of this work will have the potential for substantial economic and environmental impact, and contribute tothe United Nations Sustainable Development Goals of food security and protecting the environment.