INVESTIGATING THE INDIRECT ROLE BENEFICIAL NEMATODES PLAY IN PLANT PROTECTION AGAINST HERBIVORES

The long-term goal of this project is to elucidate indirect benefits of entomopathogenic nematodes (EPNs) for plant protectionagainst herbivores, thereby increasing growers' incentives for implementing EPN biological control as an alternative pestmanagementstrategy. To accomplish this goal, I plan to investigate the influence of EPNs on plants and insect herbivores, as both cases would have important consequences for protecting plants against herbivore pests. The key objectives of this proposal are: 1) Quantify the influence of EPNs on plant defenses and pest performance, 2) Determine the behavioral responses of above and belowground herbivores to EPN cues.