Investigating the molecular basis of insecticide control failure in the beet armyworm, Spodoptera exigua and diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella

Beet armyworm, Spodoptera exigua, is a devastating pest of a range of important food and non-food crops. This species is native to southeast Asia but is now found in Africa, southern Europe, Japan, Australia and north America. Currently the primary means of control of Beet armyworm relies on the use of chemical insecticides. As a result there are now reports of resistance to a range of the older compounds used for control, and newer compounds such as the diamides are increasingly relied on. This studentship aims to characterise the molecular mechanisms underlying resistance of Beet armyworm to insecticides and develop tools and strategies to combat resistance.