I am really excited to have the opportunity to continue my research on aphid and parasitic wasp interactions under drought conditions! To learn more about my proposal, check out the project summary below.
Climate change is increasing drought events globally, and while we know that drought affects plant growth and crop production, it is unclear how drought affects insect populations. Herbivorous insects may be affected directly through changes in plant quality, or indirectly by influencing their interactions with the natural enemies that consume them. Aphids are major pests of agricultural systems, and parasitic wasps are very effective at suppressing aphid populations. The wasp lays an egg in the body of the aphid, consumes it from the inside as a larva, and eventually develops into an adult wasp that will parasitize a hundred more aphids. The objectives of my proposal are to determine if plant water availability affects the ability of the wasp to locate aphids, wasp acceptance of aphid hosts for egg laying, and the development of the wasp within the aphid host.