Announcements

EcolChange seminar: Eve Veromann about ecosystem services and RNAi technology in the service of sustainable agriculture

Seminar of Department of Botany and Centre of Excellence EcolChange

SpeakerProf. Eve Veromann is a Professor at the Chair of Plant Health at the Estonian University of Life Sciences. Her research focuses on the implementation of ecosystem services for the sustainable ecosystem. 

Title of the talkEcosystem services and RNAi technology in the service of sustainable agriculture

Time: Thursday, 8 April 2021 at 14.15

Place: Virtual seminar in Zoom

Summary: Meeting the increasing demand for agricultural products while minimising their negative impact on biodiversity and ecosystem health is among the greatest global challenges. Modern agriculture depends greatly on agrochemical inputs which is not a sustainable farming practice in the long term. Landscape elements can contribute to the provision of essential ecosystem services such as pollination and pest control. The establishment, adequate management and restoration of landscape elements is a promising pathway for ecological intensification. In addition to ecological intensification, also innovative RNAi technology can be used to make insecticides highly species-specific to decrease their detrimental impact on beneficial insects.