- Author: Kathy Keatley Garvey
Host is Michael Parrella, professor and chair of the UC Davis Department of Entomology. The seminar will be videotaped for later viewing on UCTV Seminars.
Of his talk on chemical ecology in aphid-plant-virus pathosystems, Eigenbrode says: “Most plant viruses depend upon vectors for their transmission, thereby coupling their epidemiology, and their ecological and evolutionary success, to the behavior and performance of their vector species. Evidence is accumulating that plant viruses influence the biology and behavior of their vectors such their transmission is enhanced.”
“Our work with luteoviruses is a part of this evidence. Specifically, volatile emissions from virus-infected plants are attractant or arrestant to aphid vectors in 6 pathosystems involving luteoviruses. Furthermore, dynamics of some of these responses with disease progression, age of inoculation and infectious status of the vector also potentially contribute to increased virus transmission. A literature review suggests that plant virus effects on vector biology and behavior differs with mode of virus transmission (nonpersistent, persistent but non replicating, persistent and replicating within the vector). Implications for further study and for application will be presented.”
Eigenbrode focuses his research on chemical ecology of insect-plant and multi-trophic interactions. This has included an emphasis on the chemical ecology, landscape ecology and management of insect-vectored viruses of wheat, potatoes and legumes in the Pacific Northwest. The regional scope of this work has led to substantial interdisciplinary effort addressing the sustainability of agricultural systems. He is project director for a $20 million USDA National Institute for Food and Agriculture (IFA) Coordinated Agricultural Project on Regional Approaches to Climate Change in Pacific Northwest Agriculture. He has been a co-principal investigator on two National Science Foundation Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship Program (NSF-IGERT) projects, one ongoing, studying resilience of ecological and social systems in changing landscapes, which includes extensive collaboration with the Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center in Costa Rica.
Eigenbrode is engaged in research in collaboration with philosophers and sociologists focused on improving the process of collaborative science. In 2013, he was named University Distinguished Professor at the University of Idaho.
Eigenbrode received degrees in natural resources (M.S., 1986) and Entomology (Ph.D., 1990) from Cornell University.
Related Links:
http://www.cals.uidaho.edu/aphidtracker/index.asp
https://www.reacchpna.org
http://www.cals.uidaho.edu/toolbox/