| Affiliations: | |
| Project Leader: | Polly Harding pollyharding@tamu.edu Entomology |
| Faculty Mentor: | Gregory Sword Ph.D. |
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Meeting Times:
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TBD |
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Team Size:
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6 (Team Full) |
| Open Spots: | 0 |
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Special Opportunities:
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Students will lead their own experiment and learn technical skills such as managing field and greenhouse cotton, monitoring and controlling insect pests, performing dose-response assays, rearing insects, PCR, isolating microbes from plant tissues, and assessing the viability of fungal spores |
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Team Needs:
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Must register for ENTO 291 research credits, minimum 10 hrs/week. Prior experience not required, but students with a demonstrated interest in a relevant field of study are preferred. To apply, send resume to pollyharding@tamu.edu |
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Description:
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Fungi that occur inside living plant tissue without causing harm to the plant are known as fungal endophytes. Research in field crops has shown endophytes enhance plant growth and increase resistance to pests. A team of undergraduate researchers will investigate whether these microbes can be utilized for reducing dependence on insecticides in cotton production.
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