Aphids are small yet mighty. In the right conditions, these tiny creatures can be among the most destructive insect pests to crops and cultivated plants, making understanding aphids’ feeding process crucial to the plant health field. With the help of a U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agriculture and Food Research Initiative grant, Michigan State University Research Associate Hillary Fischer will be able to uncover how small molecules in aphids’ saliva affect plant metabolism, uncovering a large suite of new research topics in plant-aphid interactions.

Aphids are tiny sap-sucking insects that can weaken the plants they feed on. They are also carriers of various plant viruses, which cause and exacerbate crop loss. As pests, aphids can be incredibly difficult to control due to their ability to reproduce asexually and in large numbers and rapidly develop resistance to insecticides.