2022

Alyokhin, Andrei; Chen, Yolanda H.; Udalov, Maxim; Benkovskaya, Galina; Lindström, Leena

Incorporating our knowledge of fundamental evolutionary processes is essential to maximize their efficiency and efficacy of pest control practices. The insect pest complex of potato is characterized by a high degree of plasticity and adaptability. In particular, the Colorado potato beetle quickly expanded its host range to include cultivated potato and has shown a remarkable ability to evolve resistance to a wide variety of chemicals. Another major pest of potatoes, the green peach aphid, is also very adaptable to insecticides. Both of these insects can also develop resistance to nonchemical methods of their suppression, such as biological control and crop rotation. In addition, understanding insect adaptation to abiotic conditions (temperature, water availability, solar irradiation, etc.) is essential for forecasting future pest outbreaks under the current conditions of extensive human traffic among previously geographically isolated areas and changing climate.