The Dynamics of Agricultural Pests: leveraging data from genome to landscapes

Up to 40% of food crops are lost due to plant pests and diseases each year, causing major economic, social, and environmental impacts. Decision-makers require spatially explicit information on the spread of diseases and pests in order to select appropriate interventions. Here we will discuss successfully implemented epidemiological models developed by Dr Retkute, which combine the modelling principles of parsimony and stochasticity. We will also discuss new approaches  implemented by Dr North that use genomic surveillance to reconstruct invasion routes and — potentially — forecast the future spread of invasive species by combining functional genomics and distribution modelling.

Speakers: 

• Henry North, Zoology 
• Renata Retkute, Plant Sciences