Project Details
Projekt
Combined effects of stem borers and abiotic stresses on maize commercial hybrids (SP4)
Subject Area
Plant Cultivation, Plant Nutrition, Agricultural Technology
Plant Breeding and Plant Pathology
Plant Breeding and Plant Pathology
Term
since 2026
Project identifier
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 571153016
This project addresses the combined effects of abiotic (drought, nitrogen deficiency) and biotic (stem borer infestation) stressors on the growth, defense mechanisms, and yield of commercial maize hybrids. Maize production is globally constrained by increasingly frequent co-occurrence of environmental stressors and pest pressures, yet the mechanistic understanding of their interactions, particularly under field conditions, remains incomplete. The project aims to elucidate how these stressors interact at multiple biological levels (physiological, transcriptional, metabolic) in maize, and how these changes affect herbivore development, behavior, and natural enemy recruitment. Field and greenhouse experiments will be conducted in both temperate (Germany) and tropical (Kenya) climates, using commercial hybrids. From a phytocentric perspective, the research investigates how combined stress conditions modulate plant structural integrity, central and specialized metabolite profiles, phytohormonal signalling, and herbivore-induced plant volatile emissions. Special attention is given to early insect-plant interactions, including plant responses to oviposition and early instar larval feeding. From an entomocentric perspective, the study examines how stress-induced changes in plant phenotype influence stem borer performance, oviposition preferences, and parasitoid attraction. The project hypothesizes that abiotic stress alters host suitability and volatile blend composition in a genotype-dependent manner, thereby affecting trophic interactions and indirect defense efficacy. Another important component is the development of a mechanistic, process-based crop-insect interaction model. This model will integrate experimental data to simulate maize growth, stem borer development, and yield under variable stress regimes. The model builds upon existing platforms and aims to bridge statistical and physiological modeling approaches to predict genotype-specific responses. Overall, the project aims to close critical knowledge gaps in multitrophic plant-insect-environment interactions by linking detailed empirical observations with novel modeling strategies.
DFG Programme
Research Units
