I-ResPect

Insecticide resistance, population and effect on biodiversity

01.06.2016 bis 31.05.2018

Apple orchards are highly treated crops, in which organophosphorus, neonicotinoid and synthetic phyrethroid compounds are the most heavily sprayed insecticides. These compounds are toxic to non-target arthropods and increase resistance making apple orchards an interesting case to study the deleterious effects of insecticides on non-target species. The three main scientific questions of this project are: 1. Does insecticide resistance affect the energetic resrves of the earwing F. auricularia? 2. What are the inter-generational effects of resistance on F. auricularia fitness traits?3. What are the mechanisms involved in insecticide resistance/tolerance?