Institut für ökologische Chemie, Pflanzenanalytik und Vorratsschutz
The pollen beetle (Brassicogethes aneaus) is one of the most important pest insects in oilseed rape cultivation. As the pollen beetle is highly specialized on the secondary plant compounds of oilseed rape and its closely related cruciferous plants, new plant metabolites in more fare related cruciferous species for plant defence against the pollen beetle need to be identified. In this short project, the feeding behaviour of the pollen beetle on cardenolide-containing Erysimum cheiranthoides (Brassicaceae) lines compared with cardenolide-knock-out lines will be investigated to evaluate the potential of cardenolides as a deterrgent agent against pollen beetles. These results could form the basis for new third-party funded projects and new breeding approaches for insect-resistant oilseed rape.
Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture
