Agricultural Entomology

Our division researches new strategies for integrated pest management in arable farming, thus contributing to the aim of securing yields while reducing the detrimental impact on biodiversity. To achieve this, we investigate the diverse interactions between crop plants, herbivorous insects and their natural enemies (parasitoid wasps, entomopathogenic fungi, etc.). The chemical compounds used for defence or signalling by the organisms in agro-ecosystem play a special role here. Clarifying the chemical ecology of insects, plants and fungi can lead to new, environmentally friendly methods of pest regulation. Our work also focuses on the genetic resistance of cultivated plants to insect pests and the effects of abiotic stress caused by climate change on the relationships between plants and insects.