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Biocontrol is the introduction of one organism to control the population of another organism, and has had a commercial application for over a century. With the latest advances in next generation sequencing, now is the moment to both improve biocontrol as well as counter potential shortcomings, such as non-target effects. For example, when massive numbers of parasitoid biocontrol agents are released into a field situation, the effects on native parasitoid populations can be devastating. This may be especially true if the released species is naturally found in the area of release. In order to differentiate between a commercial Trichogramma brassicae (Bezdenko) population and the local Trichogramma population, strain-specific genetic markers need to be developed. The T. brassicae strain used in biocontrol was isolated from Moldavia over 30 years ago, but the species itself is found throughout Europe. Therefore, newly developed strain-specific markers can only be used if they differentiate between a wide geographic dispersed set of T. brassicae isolates, as well as other Trichogramma species. In order to optimize this marker selection, the genome of a Wolbachia-infected T. brassicae strain is sequenced and constructed via a de novo hybrid approach, allowing for future genomic comparisons between populations.This presentation was given at the 16th Congress of the European Society for Evolutionary Biology, which took place in Groningen, The Netherlands. My presentation occurred on August 22nd in session 34. Applications of evolutionary biology in agriculture and industry. All data and methodology is attributed to myself, Sophie Chattington, or my student, Lorraine Latchoumane, within the presentation. I've included both the powerpoint slides and a PDF with annotations that can be toggled on and off.

Presentation at the Netherlands Annual Ecology Meeting 2021 - NAEM2021. Given on Tuesday, February 9, 2021 in Session 3: Global Change Ecology (note, uploaded before presentation occured). Link to meeting: https://www.nern.nl/naem-2021-programmeAbstract:Environmental DNA (eDNA) is freely available genetic material that is recovered from the environment – e.g. waste water, animal faeces, or surfaces. The methods and techniques are at the point where near real-time results can be generated: Collect bat poop on a Monday, determine the bat's diet by Friday. What remains to be seen if this is 1) beneficial for tracking agricultural pests of concern, 2) useful in determining overall insect biodiversity, and 3) scalable to cover the entirety of The Netherlands as a sort of pest detection network. And furthermore, what else can we do with our eDNA collections?

Presentation at the Netherlands Annual Ecology Meeting 2021 - NAEM2021. Given on Tuesday, February 9, 2021 in Session 3: Global Change Ecology (note, uploaded before presentation occured). Link to meeting: https://www.nern.nl/naem-2021-programmeAbstract:Environmental DNA (eDNA) is freely available genetic material that is recovered from the environment – e.g. waste water, animal faeces, or surfaces. The methods and techniques are at the point where near real-time results can be generated: Collect bat poop on a Monday, determine the bat's diet by Friday. What remains to be seen if this is 1) beneficial for tracking agricultural pests of concern, 2) useful in determining overall insect biodiversity, and 3) scalable to cover the entirety of The Netherlands as a sort of pest detection network. And furthermore, what else can we do with our eDNA collections?

While initially confined to the realm of model species, genome sequencing, assembly, and annotation is becoming more accessible and feasible for de novo projects. There are several uses for the genomes of biocontrol agents, including for the purpose of improvement or risk assessment. Featuring work on biocontrol superstars Trichogramma brassicae, Nesidiocoris tenuis, and Amblyseius swirskii.Speaker notes (narration) as annotations on PDF (hover over symbol in top left corner)This talk was given at the 30th Entomologendag (Netherlands Entomologist Day), in Ede, NL, during the session, “Advances in biocontrol research and application” on December 14th, 2018. It is a slight modification of an earlier talk I gave at the Joint Meeting of the ESA/ESC/ESBC in Vancouver (Nov 11, 2018), https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.7326218.v3If you're interested in the original powerpoint file, just send me an email (it never uploads well).

This talk was given at the 2018 ESA/ESC/ESBC Joint Meeting in Vancouver, Canada, at the Member Session, “Rapid evolution in biological control systems: implications for safety and effectiveness” on November 11th, 2018Abstract:While initially confined to the realm of model species (such as Nasonia and Drosophila), genome sequencing, assembly, and annotation is becoming more accessible and feasible for de novo projects. There are several uses for the genomes of biocontrol agents, including for the purpose of improvement or risk assessment. For instance, is it possible to make a zoophytophagous mirid predator like Nesidiocoris tenuis less phytophagous via selection? Or when releasing a parasitoid wasp like Trichogramma brassicae into the field, is it possible to track different species as well as strains of the same species the next season? While very different biocontrol agents, and very different questions, both could be addressed using genomes and the types of data generated by genome projects. Moreover, published genomes become a common good, accessible to all researchers who wish to use it, thus opening several avenues of research previously unavailable. Here, I will highlight the role of genomes in advancing biocontrol research, using examples from our work on the sequencing, assembly, and annotation of the genomes of three biocontrol agents: the mirid bug Nesidiocoris tenuis, the parasitoid wasp Trichogramma brassicae, as well as the predatory mite Amblyseius swirskii.[If you're interested in the powerpoint, just send me a message! It wasn't uploading properly to figshare -KBF]

Poster presented at Entomologendag 2017 in The Netherlands. Made in the style of a choose your own adventure guide, based on a dichotomous key of sequencing approaches. No original data present, but based on our work so far in sequencing the genomes of different biocontrol agents.Abstract:The desire for sequencing non-model insect genomes is growing. Both improvements in technology and lower thresholds to access have been a benefit to researchers interested in starting their own genome project. But where to begin? Insects present their own roadblocks in the path to an optimal sequencing strategy, such as ploidy, heterozygosity, or body size. Our guide will get you started on your own genome sequencing adventure!

This is a presentation given the the 5th International Entomophagous Insect Conference in Kyoto, Japan, on October 18th, 2017. Abstract:Innovations within the realm of genetic sequencing have led to increased accessibility for biologists, both in terms of costs as well as the educational resources available, regardless of background. Our project is a prime example, comprising three different biocontrol species (parasitoid wasp Trichogramma brassicae, mirid bug Nesidiocoris tenuis, and predatory mite Amblyseius swirskii). The goal is to sequence, assemble, and annotate a whole genome for each species to better inform ongoing projects. With T. brassicae, strain-specific molecular markers would help determine if there are intraguild effects of mass releases. In the case of both A. swirskii and N. tenuis, the genome will aid trait identification for selective breeding as well as assist in phylogenetic studies by identifying molecular markers. The applications of this project extend beyond biocontrol, and additional questions can be addressed. Did commercialization lead to genetic drift or laboratory adaptation of commercial populations? Is there an indication of less genetic variation in commercial populations compared to their native or wild counterparts? The best way to address these questions is via population genomics – comparison between populations on a genomic level. Here, we present the status of each genome and their applications, as well as the implications for future research.