John Gibb reports in the Otago Daily times on the publishing of the complete genome of the pea aphid.
The work, carried out by a team of international scientists including researchers from the University of Otago, could help in the fight against the agricultural pest by allowing the development of tailor-made insecticides.
An excerpt: (read in full here)
“Some other aphids, including the blue-green lucerne aphid, were more destructive agricultural pests in New Zealand than the pea aphid, but the genomic data would help combat several such species.
“Aphids were leading agricultural pests and a biosecurity risk to New Zealand, the vast majority of them here being introduced species.
“This research would help to reduce their significant economic impact “by enabling us to develop tailor-made insecticides”.”