Royal scholarships for innovative research on biological control
Chloë Raderschall and Nataliia Khomutovska have received scholarships from King Carl XVI Gustaf’s 50-year fund for science, technology and the environment.
On June 12, His Majesty the King awarded scholarships from King Carl XVI Gustaf's 50th Anniversary Fund for Science, Technology and Environment. The award ceremony took place during a reception at the Bernadotte Library in the Royal Palace. Among the 16 recipients from universities across Sweden were SLU researchers Chloë Raderschall and Nataliia Khomutovska, who both research biological control methods.
Strip-cropping on arable land reduces pests and weeds
Chloë received the award for her research on strip cropping for biological control of insect pests and weed seeds in arable land. Agriculture faces major challenges, where sufficient production must be combined with minimal environmental impact. One promising way to make farming more sustainable is to design cropping systems that promote ecosystem services—such as biological control by natural enemies of pests and weeds.
Chloë recently received early-career funding to investigate how beneficial insects and the ecosystem services they provide are affected by strip cropping. In strip cropping, field diversity is increased by growing several crops side by side in strips adapted to the width of agricultural machinery. Her studies focus on ground beetles, which are common in arable fields and consume large quantities of both insect pests and weed seeds.
– I will use the scholarship for sampling to study how strip cropping affects weed prevalence, and for a study visit to Wageningen in the Netherlands, which conducts world-leading research in this field, says Chloë.
Microbial medicine for Swedish crop protection
Nataliia Khomutovska received the award for her research on microbial medicine for plant protection in Sweden. Cultivated berries, fruits, vegetables, and trees are frequently attacked by diseases, resulting in major losses for Swedish agriculture and forestry. These attacks are becoming more common despite the widespread use of chemical pesticides in our fields and nurseries. One explanation is that disease-causing pathogens are developing resistance to chemical treatments.
Nataliia is developing environmentally friendly “microbial medicines” based on the beneficial yeast Aureobasidium pullulans. She has observed that wild berry bushes rarely suffer from disease, thanks to this naturally protective microorganism. Her prototype has shown promising results in systems as diverse as strawberry fields and spruce nurseries and holds great potential as a Swedish innovation with global export prospects.
– The scholarship will be used for chemical analyses of the most promising yeast strains. I will also visit the University of Udine in Italy, to meet with Professor Alessandra Di Francesco, a world leader in plant health, says Nataliia.
Both Chloë and Nataliia received scholarships of SEK 100,000 each.
King Carl XVI Gustaf’s 50-year fund for science, technology and the environment
King Carl XVI Gustaf’s 50-year fund for science, technology and the environment aims to promote research, technical development and entrepreneurship that contribute to sustainable use of natural resources and conservation of biological diversity. The scholarship is to be used for encouragement and forward-looking activities and has been preferentially awarded to younger researchers active in Sweden.