Research Interests

I am interested in food production and the natural environment and much of my research is focused on the management of pest insects in horticultural crops using approaches that minimise the impact on other species. This may be through biological or physical approaches, or through host plant resistance, an area where I collaborate with colleagues at Warwick (VeGIN (warwick.ac.uk)).

The weather has a major impact on insect life cycles and abundance and I have developed weather-based forecasts of insect activity, together with an understanding of the impacts of climate change on pests and the crops they infest. The output from the forecasts is available to, and used by, growers.

I am also interested in the wider use of information by farmers, growers and gardeners, including novel technologies for monitoring and managing pests, and the use of information collected by citizen scientists.

Technical Summary

My main research interest is in the development and application of Integrated Pest Management strategies for horticultural crops. Areas of research include application of novel pesticides and biopesticides, biological control, host-plant resistance (in collaboration with colleagues at Warwick (VeGIN (warwick.ac.uk)), methods of physical control and approaches that influence pests through increased plant diversity in the cropping system (companion planting, intercropping, trap crops, conservation biocontrol).

I am also interested in pest insect phenology and abundance and in decision making with regard to pest management. I have developed a number of weather based forecasts of pest phenology that are available to, and used by, commercial growers. I am also interested in how information from forecasts, traps and citizen scientists can be used to best effect by growers.

We maintain a number of pest populations and cultures to facilitate our research as well as providing information on pest phenology and abundance to growers. I am also interested in how our research can be used to inform and support gardeners.