Vector Entomology interview seminar: 1104 Gilman Hall
Bryan Cassone, Department of Plant Pathology, Center for Applied Plant Sciences, The Ohio State University, OARDC, Wooster, OH
Abstract: Pathogens and their vectors have coevolutionary histories that are intricately intertwined with their environments and genetic interactions. The invasive soybean aphid (Aphis glycines) is one of the most destructive pests of soybean in North America. We have characterized how exposure to vectored and non-vectored pathogens impact aphid development and reproduction. Subsequent studies have begun to disentangle the evolutionary and mechanistic basis of such changes to aphid fitness. Overall, this seminar will describe how the plant, pathogen, and host microbiome interact and play integral roles in insect vectorial capacity.