Interactions among plants, insect herbivores, and pathogens can affect insect and plant pathogen dynamics and plant performance.

In this project I tried to elucidate the spatial and temporal dynamics of the main herbivore (blue willow leaf beetle Phratora vulgatissima) and the main pathogen (leaf rust fungus Melampsora spp.) within willow short rotation plantations. I also intended to investigate the co-occurrence of both and the potential yield loss in a plantations. The project aimed to bridge the gap between controlled lab studies, which frequently showed that one species affects another via changes in the shared plant, and large-scale field patterns. The understanding gained in this project would enable predictions about insect and fungus outbreaks, possibly leading the better plant protections strategies.

The data from this field sampling in plantations have not been used for a scientific publication and are freely available: https://zenodo.org/record/6992488

As an accompanying project have scored leaf rust, beetle herbivory, and leaf gall infestation on natural willow plants in Europe wherever I go. I am a big fan of synergies and here I merged my personal travels with reaching field sites in an eco-friendly manner.

The data from this field sampling across Europe have not been used for a scientific publication and are freely available: https://zenodo.org/record/6995718