Willem Takken's research
After the Second World War much entomological research was undertaken from the concept that most pest problems caused by insects could be solved by application of insecticides.
Research
Chemical control was considered cheap, effective and safe. It is now realized that this approach was non-sustainable. Already in the early days of chemical control the Laboratory of Entomology choose a different approach for its research, with emphasis on alternative methods of control. Initially the research focused on insect physiology i.e. hormonal regulation of insect development and resulted in the discovery of insect growth regulators as modern and selective control agents. Subsequently much work was done (and continues to be done) on the physiology of insect/plant interactions and the ecology of parasite/host and predator/prey interactions. In the last decade research on arthropod vectors of human and animal diseases complemented the research at the Laboratory.
The Laboratory of Entomology conducts fundamental and applied research. Fundamental scientific research concerns 5 topics:
- Host plant selection by herbivorous insects and mites;
- Chemical communication between plants and carnivorous insects and mites;
- Foraging behaviour of predators and parasitoids;
- Population dynamics of parasitoids
- Evolutionary ecology of asexual reproduction in insects.
Applied research is narrowly associated with the fundamental research, and includes the following topics:
- Development of biological and integrated pest management in greenhouses, orchards and field crops;
- Mechanisms of host-plant resistance;
- Biological and integrated control of pests and vectors in the tropics
Publications
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Insecticide-treated plastic sheeting for emergency malaria prevention and shelter among displaced populations: an observational cohort study in a refugee setting in Sierra Leone
American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene (2012), Volume: 87, Issue: 2 - ISSN 0002-9637 - p. 242-250. -
A Novel Synthetic Odorant Blend for Trapping of Malaria and Other African Mosquito Species
Journal of Chemical Ecology (2012), Volume: 38, Issue: 3 - ISSN 0098-0331 - p. 235-244. -
Novel strategies lead to pre-elimination of malaria in previously high-risk areas in Suriname, South America
Malaria Journal (2012), Volume: 11 - ISSN 1475-2875 -
Lessons from Agriculture for the Sustainable Management of Malaria Vectors
PLOS Medicine (2012), Volume: 9, Issue: 7 - ISSN 1549-1676 -
Hitting Hotspots: Spatial Targeting of Malaria for Control and Elimination
PLOS Medicine (2012), Volume: 9, Issue: 1 - ISSN 1549-1676 -
Prevalence of Neoehrlichia mikurensis in ticks and rodents from North-west Europe
Parasites & Vectors (2012), Volume: 5 - ISSN 1756-3305 -
Feeding strategies of anthropophilic mosquitoes result in increased risk of pathogen transmission
Trends in Parasitology (2012), Volume: 28, Issue: 3 - ISSN 1471-4922 - p. 114-121. -
Evaluation of low density polyethylene and nylon for delivery of synthetic mosquito attractants.
Parasites & Vectors (2012), Volume: 5 - ISSN 1756-3305 -
Behavioural responses of Anopheles gambiae sensu stricto to components of human breath, sweat and urine depend on mixture composition and concentration
Medical and Veterinary Entomology (2011), Volume: 25, Issue: 3 - ISSN 0269-283X - p. 247-255. -
Geographic and Temporal Variations in Population Dynamics of Ixodes ricinus and Associated Borrelia Infections in The Netherlands
Vector-Borne and Zoonotic Diseases (2011), Volume: 11, Issue: 5 - ISSN 1530-3667 - p. 523-532.