POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCH FELLOWSHIP
THE DEVELOPMENT OF ARTIFICIAL DIETS FOR INSECT BIOCONTROL AGENTS OF SELECTED INVASIVE ALIEN PLANTS
One of the largest bottlenecks to the successful mass rearing of good alien plant insect biological control agents, is an abundant supply of quality fresh host plant material on which to rear the host species specific insects. The acquisition, and growing of these host plants in the numbers required is also labour, time and space consuming, as well as expensive.
In insect biological control, sterile insect technique, and animal and human protein production through mass reared insect programs, many artificial diets have been produced and are being used to rear the insects in question, in the very large numbers required for these programs.
This two year project (April 2016-March 2018) will aim to develop artificial diets, along the lines of the programs mentioned above, for aquatic and terrestrial alien plant insect biocontrol agents. This will be done following well established diet manufacturing principles.
The work will be completed between Stellenbosch University’s Mariendahl Research Farm (about 14 Km outside of Stellenbosch, next to the Elsenberg Agricultural College) and the laboratories of the Department of Animal Sciences, Stellenbosch University. The research will be supervised by Dr Elsje Pieterse of this department, and Prof Des Conlong, of the South African Sugarcane Research Institute, Mount Edgecombe and Department of Conservation Ecology and Entomology, Stellenbosch University.
Accommodation is available on the Mareindahl Research Farm at a nominal rental, and the stipend offered is according to NRF rates. Normal post-doctoral benefits as outlined in the Stellenbosch University web site will apply.
The successful research fellow should have a recently completed PhD degree in Entomology, with a keen interest in alien plant biocontrol. Knowledge of insect and/or animal diet requisites and development will be an advantage. The incumbent will also need his/her own transport, as research will be completed between the research farm and the university. Work will be laboratory and field based, and the incumbent will be expected to help set up the ponds/ potting bags required to build up a stock of host plants and insects to be researched, and be involved in all rearing aspects.
Should you be interested, please send a letter of application, indicating why you would be the best person for the position, a comprehensive CV including a list of publications, and the names and contact details of at least three referees, to Des Conlong (). The closing date for Applications will be 31st March 2016, with the successful incumbent starting as soon as possible afterwards.
For further information please contact Dr Pieterse at ; or Des Conlong at .