Attacking the clones: understanding resistance of aphid pests to biological control

october 2021 – september 2025

Laura Martinez

I am researching parasitoid resistance on potato aphids (Macrosiphum euphorbiae) of strawberry crops. My project will include: 

-Sampling potato aphid populations in strawberries to determine their genotypic diversity

-Assessing parasitoid resistance on potato aphids to their main parasitoid species 

-Investigating the genetic diversity of the most common parasitoid species used for potato aphid control 

-Exploring the potato aphid endosymbiont community composition as it has been linked with parasitoid resistance in other aphids

-Performing a field survey to understand the dynamics and interactions of potato aphid genotypes with different parasitoids species

Research progress

Laura Martinez AHDB Annual Report 2022

Laura Martinez AHDB Annual Report 2023

Laura Martinez AHDB Annual Report 2024