Justine's Podcast

Locusts, Biopesticides and GIS


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A Geographic Information System (GIS) framework is used to assess the geographical variability of a biopesticide's effectiveness against different species of locusts and grasshoppers. A model for predicting fungal pathogen virulence against pests, specifically based on host body temperature and environmental conditions, was used with meteorological station data to create spatial maps of expected mortality. The study focused on economically important pest species across Spain, South Africa, Zambia, and Niger. Spatial variation in the performance of the model was clearly visible. Although the model outputs were largely consistent with field trial data for most species, the variability highlights the importance of temperature context for both effective pest control strategies and understanding fundamental insect-pathogen ecology.

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Justine's PodcastBy Justine