Aphids out of control? The role of symbiont-driven resistance to parasitoids in greenhouse biocontrol success

Aphids are a major pest of vegetables, fruits and flowers. The use of chemical pesticides is increasingly undesirable, but aphids can also be controlled by parasitic wasps without using poison. This biological control does not always work well because aphids contain micro-organisms (endosymbionts) that can make them resistant to parasitic wasps. In this project we investigate which endosymbionts there are, how they influence aphid resistance and whether there is genetic variation in the wasps to deal with this resistance. Our results are important for the success of biological pest control and can increase food security.