Studies on the ecological impacts of exotic invasive plants have mainly focused on inter-continental invasions. However due to global environmental changes, a rapid increase in intra-continental range-expanding plants has been observed. In this context, multitrophic interactions between exotic plants, native herbivores and their natural enemies hav...
In order to establish disease, plant pathogenic fungi deliver effectors in the apoplastic space surrounding host cells as well as into host cells themselves to manipulate host physiology in favour of their own growth. Cladosporium fulvum is a non-obligate biotrophic fungus causing leaf mould disease of tomato. For decades, this fungus has been a mo...
Western flower thrips (WFT), Frankliniella occidentalis, is one of the most serious pests in several vegetable and flower crops worldwide. It is a highly polyphagous insect and a vector of several plant viruses of which the Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus and the Impatiens Necrotic Spot Virus are the most important. Feeding by WFT causes light coloured p...
The use of botanical insecticides is in today’s world an attractive alternative to the less safe and environmentally malign synthetic chemicals, whose overall longer persistence in the environment does not only make them more contaminant, but also increases their chances of causing a rapid development of resistance in the target pest and having neg...
The potato, which receives an increased attention as a food crop, has long been in threats from the oomycete Phytophthora infestans, the causal agent of late blight. This disease still remains the most important constraint in potato producing regions of the world. It might cause the complete destruction of the foliage and tubers of potato if meteor...
The silverleaf whitefly (Bemisia tabaciGenn.) poses a serious threat to tomato cultivation. A large part of the damage is done directly through heavy host plant colonization. Colonization has a negative impact on the plant, as the whitefly takes up nutrients from the phloem and induces phytotoxic responses, which result in irregular ripening of the...
Vroeger was het simpel: er zijn vijf groepen plantenhormonen en dat is het. Maar het ligt veel ingewikkelder. Naarmate het inzicht groeit, wordt de lijst van hormonen langer. Opvallend veel daarvan zijn betrokken bij weerstand tegen stress, ziekten en plagen. Daar kan de tuinbouw in de toekomst wellicht voordeel bij hebben.
Aphids are serious pests of crop plant species, and host plant resistance is often the most effective and environmentally friendly control strategy to control these pests. One of these aphid pests is the black currant - lettuce aphid, Nasonovia ribisnigri (Mosely), an economically important pest of cultivated lettuce, Lactuca sativa L. Host plant r...
As a result of rapid biotechnological developments in the past century, genetically modified (GM) crops were developed and introduced for field application. Despite the advantages of these crops and the professional marketing policies, people also started questioning the safety of GM products for humans and the environment. In response to that, sci...
Plant secondary metabolites (PSM) such as terpenes and phenolic compounds are known to have numerous ecological roles, notably in defence against herbivores, pathogens and abiotic stresses and in interactions with competitors and mutualists. This book reviews recent developments in the field to provide a synthesis of the function, ecology and evolu...
