National University of Ireland, Maynooth

National University of Ireland, Maynooth
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Faculties & Departments

Department of Biology

Christine T. Griffin, BSc, PhD (Dub)
Head of Laboratory

Behavioural Ecology and Biocontrol Laboratory

 

ChristineResearch Interests

Research of this laboratory has two related foci: the behaviour and physiology of nematode parasites, and use of insect parasitic nematodes as biological pesticides.

A specialised infective juvenile transmits many nematode parasites from host to host. We are interested in the survival and infection strategies of these infective juveniles, and generally use species of insect parasitic nematode as models in this research. We are currently investigating the complex manner in which several factors interact to influence infectivity, including factors operating during development (such as resource availability) and those operating during ageing of the infective juveniles. One of our lines of investigation is into the importance of starvation as a factor modifying the foraging behaviour of infective juveniles, and also as a mortality factor for them.

The second main strand of our research is the development and utilisation of insect parasitic nematodes as biological control agents. Pest species currently targeted include pine weevil (Hylobius abietis) in reforestation, black vine weevil (Otiorhynchus sulcatus) in soft fruits, and sciarid and phorid flies in mushroom cultivation.

 

Laboratory Personnel

Postgraduates

  • Khalil Mohamed Alameen
  • Adam Guy
  • Christopher Harvey
  • Abigail Maher
  • Ciarán Pollard (jointly with the Irish Climate Analysis Research Units (ICARUS), Dept. of Geography, NUIM)

Funding Sources


The European Union, Coford, Dept. of Agriculture, Industrial Funding, Teagasc, HEA PRTL Programme, Departmental Funding.

Selected Publications

  • Dillon, A. B., Meade, C., Rolston, A., Downes, M. J. and Griffin C. T. Risk of establishment, persistence and introgression of exotic entomopathogenic nematodes in a forest ecosystem –mesocosm and post release field studies. Ecological Applications, in press.
  • Dillon, A.B. Moore, C.,  Downes, M.J and Griffin C.T. Evict or Infect – Managing populations of the large pine weevil, Hylobius abietis, by modification of tree stump tissues and application of natural enemies – bottom-up and top down approach. Forest Ecology and Management, in press.
  • Dillon, A.  Downes, M.J., Ward, D. and Griffin C.T. (2007) Optimizing application of entomopathogenic nematodes to manage large pine weevil, Hylobius abietis L (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) populations developing in pine stumps Pinus sylvestris. Biological Control 40, 253-263.
  • Fitters, P.F.L. and C.T. Griffin.  Survival, starvation and activity in Heterorhabditis megidis.  Biological Control 37, 82-88 (2006).
  • Dillon, A., D. Ward, M.J. Downes and C.T. Griffin.  Suppression of the large pine weevil, Hylobius abietis Coleoptera: Curculionidae) by entomopathogenic nematodes with different foraging strategies.  Biological Control (in press).
  • Lewis, E., J. Campbell, C.T. Griffin, H. Kaya and A. Peters.  Behavioural ecology of entomopathogenic nematodes.  Biological Control (in press).
  • Rolston, A., C.T. Griffin and M.J. Downes.  Distribution of entomopathogenic nematodes in an Irish dune system.  Nematology, 7, 259-266 (2005).
  • Rolston, A., C.T. Griffin and M.J. Downes.  Emergence patterns and sex-biased dispersal of two isolates of the entomopathogenic nematode Steinernema feltiae Filipjev (Rhabditida: Steinernematidae).  J. Nematol. (in press).
  • Enright, M. R. & Griffin, C.T. Effects of Paenibacillus nematophilus on the entomopathogenic nematode Heterorhabditis megidis. Journal of Invertebrate Pathology, 88, 40-48 (2005).
  • Enright, M. R. & Griffin, C.T. Specificity of association between Paenibacillus spp. and the insect pathogenic nematodes Heterorhabditis spp. Microbial Ecology, 48, 412-421 (2004).
  • Stock, S.P., Griffin, C.T. and Chaerani, R. Morphological and molecular characterisation of Steinernema hermaphroditum n. sp. (Nematoda: Steinernematidae), an entomopathogenic nematode from Indonesia, and its phylogenetic relationships with other members of the genus. Nematology, 6, 401-412 (2004).
  • Fitters, P.F.L. Griffin, C.T. Spontaneous and induced activity of Heterorhabditis megidis infective juveniles during storage, Nematology, 6, 911-917 (2004).
  • Kenis, M., Wegensteiner, R. & Griffin, C.T. Parasitoids, predators, nematodes and pathogens associated with bark weevil pests in Europe. In: Lieutier, F., Day, K.R., Battisti, A., Gregoire, J.C & Evans, H.F. (Eds) Bark and wood boring insects in living trees in Europe, a synthesis . Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, pp. 395-414 (2004).
  • C.M. Dempsey and Griffin, C.T. The infectivity and behaviour of exsheathed and ensheathed Heterorhabditis megidis infective juveniles. Nematology 5 , 49-53 (2003).
  • Enright, M.R., McInerney, J.O., and Griffin, C.T. , Characterization of endospore-forming bacteria associated with entomopathogenic nematodes, Heterorhabditis spp., and description of Paenibacillus nematophilus sp. nov. Int. J. Syst. Evol. Microbiol. 53, 435-441 (2003).
  • J.J. Ryder and Griffin, C.T. Phased infectivity in Heterorhabditis megidis : the effects of infection density in the parental host and filial generation. International Journal of Parasitology 33 , 1013-1018 (2003).
  • Armendáriz, I., Downes, M.J. and Griffin, C.T. Effect of timber condition on parasitisation of pine weevil (Hylobius abietis L.) larvae by entomopathogenic nematodes under laboratory conditions. Biocontrol Science and Technology 12, 225-233 (2002).
  • Dempsey, C.M. and Griffin, C.T. Phased activity in Heterorhabditis megidis infective juveniles. Parasitology 124, 605-613 (2002).
  • Stock, S.P., Griffin, C.T. , and A.M Burnell. Morphological characterisation of three isolates of Heterorhabditis Poinar, 1976 from "Irish group" (Nematoda:Rhabditida:Heterorhabditidae) and additional evidence supporting thier recognition as a distince species, H.downes i n. sp. Systematic Parasitology 51, 95-106 (2002)
  • Dempsey, C.M., and Griffin, C.T. Phased activity in Heterorhabditis megidis infective juveniles. Parasitology 124, 605-613 (2002)
  • Ryder, J.J., and Griffin, C.T. Density dependent fecundity and infective juvenile production in the entomopathogenic nematode, Heterorhabditis megidis. Parasitology 125, 83-92 (2002)
  • Armendariz, I. Downes, M.J. & Griffin, C.T. Effect of timber condition on parasitisation of pine wevil ( Hylobius abietis L.) larvae by entomopathogenic nematodes under laboratory conditions. Biocontrol Science and Technology 12, 225-233 (2002)
  • Hass, B., Downes, M.J. and Griffin, C.T. Persistence of four Heterorhabditis spp. isolates in soil: role of lipid reserves. Journal of Nematology 34, 151-158, (2002).
  • Fitters, P.F.L., Griffin C.T. , and R. Dunne. "Improved Control of Otiorhynchus sulcatus at 9C by cold-stored Heterorhabditis megidis UK211" Biocontrol Science and Technology , 11 483-492 (2001)
  • C.T. Griffin, K. O'Callaghan and I. Dix. A self-fertile species of Steinernema from Indonesia: further evidence of convergent evolution amongst entomopathogenic nematodes? Parasitology 122, 181-186 (2001).
  • Enright, M.R., Finnegan, M.M., McInerney, J., O'Laighleis, M., and Griffin, C.T. Specific adherence of psorangia of a Paenibacillus sp. Bacterium to Heterohabditis spp. Nematodes: Hitching a ride to lunch? Developments in Entomopathogenic Nematode/Bacterial Research 301-306 (2001).
  • Hass, B., Downes, M.J., and Griffin, C.T. Correlation between survival in water and persistence in soil of ten Heterorhabditis spp. isolates. Nematology 3, 573-579 (2001).
  • Griffin C.T., Chaerani, R., Fallon, D., Reid, A., and M.J. Downes. Occurrence and distribution of the entomopathogenic nematodes Steinernema spp and Heterorhabditis indica in Indonesia. Journal of Helminthology 74, 143-150 (2000).
  • C.M. Stack, S.G. Easwaramorthy, U.K. Metha, M.J. Downes C.T. Griffin and A.M. Burnell. Molecular characterisation of Heterorhabditis indica isolates from India, Kenya, Indonesia and Cuba. Nematology 2, 477-487 (2000).
  • M.M. Finnegan, M.J. Downes, M. O'Regan and C.T. Griffin. Effect of salt and temperature stresses on survival and infectivity of Heterorhabditis spp. infective juveniles. Nematology 1, 69-78 (1999).
  • P.F.L. Fitters, M.N. Patel, Griffin, C.T, and D.J. Wright. Fatty acid composition of Heterorhabditis sp. during storage. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology B 124, 81-88 (1999).
  • Griffin, C.T., I. Dix, S. Joyce, A.M. Burnell and M.J. Downes. Isolation and characterisation of Heterorhabditis spp. from Hungary, Estonia and Denmark. Nematology 1, 321-332 (1999).
  • H. Pamjav, D. Triga, Z. Buzas, T. Vellai, A. Lucskai, B. Adams, A.P. Reid, A.M. Burnell, Griffin, C.T., I. Glazer, M.G. Klein and A. Fodor. Novel application of PhastSystem polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis using restriction fragment length polymorphism internal transcribed spacer patterns of individuals for molecular identification of entomopathogenic nematodes. Electrophoresis 20, 1266-1273 (1999).
Last edited: Wednesday, 27-Jan-2010 13:52:10 GMT

Biology Department , NUI Maynooth
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