Pascal Ayelo (Benin)

Pascal Ayelo

<p><strong>Research Project</strong>: Design of new tools for tomato protection against <em>Tuta absoluta</em> based on semiochemicals to reduce pest oviposition and to attract parasitoids and predators.</p> <p>Pascal is an ARPPIS PhD scholar registered at University of Pretoria, South Africa working in the Plant health theme under Drs. Emilie Deletre, Thibaud Martin and Samira Mohamed. &nbsp;&nbsp;His PhD thesis is titled “<strong><em>Design of new tools for tomato protection against </em><em>Tuta absoluta</em><em> based on semiochemicals to reduce pest oviposition and to attract parasitoids and predators</em></strong>”, project hosted by ECOPLUS funded by Agence Nationale de la Recherche (ANR), and&nbsp;HORTINET-CI funded by PreSed/CI. His research focusses on Identifying the tomato volatiles that attract&nbsp;<em>Tuta&nbsp;absoluta&nbsp;</em>and the&nbsp;chemical cues that lead to oviposition behaviour. The <em>T. absoluta</em> induced tomato volatiles that are repellents for the pest and attractants for its predator, <em>Nesidiocoris&nbsp;tenuis</em> and one specific parasitoid will also be identified.&nbsp; He holds a BSc in Sciences and Techniques of Plant Production and an MSc in Sustainable Pest Management and Valorization of Biopesticides from University of Abomey Calavi, Benin.</p>