Dr Ben Clunie

Supervisor Details

Contact Details

Agriculture and Environment, Harper Adams University

Scientific Background

Research Interests

Dr Ben Clunie is an applied entomologist with expertise in integrated pest management and agroecology. He has a PhD that explored novel solutions for biological control of wireworm and has developed experience in working with entomopathogenic fungi, biopesticides, plant-insect interactions and biodiversity. His research focuses on finding sustainable solutions for agriculture that reduce conventional pesticide inputs and developing environmentally friendly alternatives for pest management.

Scientific Inspiration

Alfred Russel Wallace - the namesake of my undergraduate department building. His popular writings in the Malay Archipelago painted the Victorian entomologist as an Indiana Jones style adventurer, really highlighting the importance of communication and inspiration for future generations of scientists. Contributing to the ground-breaking theory of natural selection wasn’t so bad either and is one of the great examples of collaboration.

Research Groups

Entomology Group

Supervision Style

In three words or phrases: Collaborative, student-centred, inclusive.

Provision of Teaching

I prefer to take a more active role in your technical training and project development at first, leading to more independence later. The group here is a collaborative unit of PhD’s and other postgraduates and technical advice and review from peers is encouraged.

Progression Monitoring and Management

I am here for advice and guidance to help you reach the goals that we outline together. I like to be kept up to date and would like to see regular evidence of method development and/or results though encourage you to come to me for troubleshooting as needed. Ultimately, we work best as a team and the student must feel validated as a stakeholder in the partnership. The very nature of research is to respond to setbacks constructively and this approach will ensure you are getting the right support to develop as a scientist.

Communication

I may contact my team at all hours of the day and night; however, I will not expect you to do the same and endeavour to keep this within regular working hours. I want PhD students to ensure they have a good work-life balance and I do not expect regular weekend / evening working. The group makes good use of WhatsApp for regular contact, though we emphasise that this does not come with the expectation of immediate availability and this is just to ease communication.

Meetings

PhD Students can expect scheduled meetings with me at least once per fortnight. These meetings will be face to face. I am usually contactable for an instant response 3 or 4 days a week.

Working Pattern

Work in my lab requires being present on site (be it in a laboratory or at a field site) during the core hours of Mon-Fri 09:00-17:00 (or a subset if working part time).

Notice Period for Feedback

I need at least 2 weeks' notice to provide feedback on written work of up to 5000 words.

MIBTP Project Details

Primary supervisor for:

Potentiating Fungal Biocontrol Agents with Natural Products for Subterranean Pest Management

See the PhD Opportunities section to see if this project is currently open for applications via MIBTP.

Please Note: The main page lists projects via BBSRC Research Theme(s) quoted and then relevant Topic(s).

Potentiating Fungal Biocontrol Agents with Natural Products for Subterranean Pest Management

Secondary Supervisor(s): Dr Matthew Back, Dr Joe Roberts, Dr Tom Pope

University of Registration: Harper Adams University

BBSRC Research Themes:

Sustainable Agriculture and Food (Plant and Crop Science)

Understanding the Rules of Life (Microbiology)

Project Outline

The increasing need for sustainable agriculture necessitates alternatives to synthetic pesticides. Biological control agents, such as entomopathogenic and nematophagous fungi, show significant promise but can have variable efficacy. This project will investigate the hypothesis that natural products, often essential oils, can act as synergistic agents to potentiate the virulence and persistence of these beneficial fungi, creating more effective and reliable biopesticides.

The primary aim is to develop and validate novel, eco-friendly pest management strategies by combining natural products with fungal biocontrol agents. This will be achieved through four key objectives:

(1) To assess the synergistic or additive effects of essential oil and fungal combinations against key invertebrate pests;

(2) To identify the specific bioactive compounds within the essential oils responsible for this potentiation;

(3) To evaluate the impact of these combined treatments on overall plant health and growth;

(4) Analyse the ecological safety of the treatments by assessing their impact on beneficial non-target organisms. The research will follow a structured, multi-stage methodology. Initially, comprehensive in vitro laboratory assays will screen various essential oils for compatibility and synergistic activity with selected fungal strains. The most promising combinations will be advanced to controlled greenhouse trials to evaluate their practical efficacy on host plants, monitoring pest mortality, pathogen stability, and plant health indicators. Concurrently, Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS) will be employed for the quantitative analysis of essential oils to identify the active compounds. Finally, the ecological impact of the most effective treatments will be assessed on non-target species (e.g., pollinators) to ensure environmental safety. This project is expected to deliver significant insights into the mechanisms of synergy between natural compounds and entomopathogens.

Co-supervisor on projects with: Dr Joe Roberts, Dr Alex Watson-Lazowski, Prof Tom Pope