Project Details

Project status
In progress
Research Framework
Pou Titirangi
Research Duration
Mar 2022 - Mar 2025

Project Overview

This project aims to understand the interplay between coevolution and land use in influencing crop yield loss. Through a global survey of major food crops, researchers have found that some crops exhibit resistance to pests and pathogens, while others suffer significant losses.

This pou investigates whether this variation is related to the coevolutionary arms race between crops and pest species or influenced by land-use characteristics such as seed recycling, chemical use, and local biodiversity. The focus of this research is to determine the relative importance of these factors to help prioritise management actions for better food security.

 

Why This Matters

A good grasp on the relative importance of biological versus anthropogenic factors on pest resistance will allow decision makers to know which “lever” to prioritise when dealing with particular pairs of crop and pest species given a socio-economic backdrop.

Project Objectives

  • Quantify the direct and interaction effects of coevolution and land use factors on crop yield loss
  • If there are significant interplay between coevolution and land use, outline the best context-dependent strategy to minimise crop yield loss facing particular pests

Project Collaborators

| University of Canterbury |


 

Project Team

Dr Hao Ran Lai

Dr Hao Ran Lai

Roles:

Postdoctoral Fellow

Institution:

University of Canterbury

Prof Jason Tylianakis

Prof Jason Tylianakis

Roles:

Researcher

Institution:

University of Canterbury