Publications by authors named "Harper LaFond"
Article Synopsis
- Western corn rootworm is a major pest for maize in the U.S. and Europe, showing resistance to traditional pest management methods, which presents a challenge for farmers.
- Despite extensive breeding efforts over 75 years to develop resistant maize, there are currently no commercially available hybrids with natural resistance, emphasizing the complexity of the issue.
- A recent study identified 29 genetic loci related to resistance, suggesting that future breeding may need to focus on combining multiple small effect loci to create more resilient maize varieties.
Drought events have the potential to mediate tri-trophic interactions. Changes in plant quality influence herbivore performance, which affects prey availability and quality for natural enemies. Parasitoid wasps are particularly vulnerable to these changes since their development is inextricably linked to that of their prey.
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