Plant responses to leaf-mining insects are still poorly studied, especially in woody species. Robinia pseudoacacia is widely cultivated in Ukraine, where it is not native. There, the trees are facing increasing damage from the likewise introduced leaf miner species Parectopa robiniel...
Gregarines are usually classified as parasites, but recent studies suggest that they should be viewed on a parasitism-mutualism spectrum and may even be seen as part of the gut microbiota of host insects. As such, they may also impact the consumption of their hosts and/or be involved in the diges...
The intensity and frequency of precipitation events are predicted to change over the coming decades. For many areas, longer periods without rainfall are expected. We investigated the importance of irrigation frequency under water deficit conditions for growth, physiology and chemistry of wheat (<...
Plant monocultures growing for extended periods face severe losses of productivity. This phenomenon, known as 'yield decline', is often caused by the accumulation of above- and below-ground plant antagonists. The effectiveness of plant defences against antagonists might help explain differences i...