RESEARCH FELLOW
nicola.bodino@ipsp.cnr.it
011.397.7296
publications: Orcid
personal details and research activity: People
Curriculum Vitae
Master’s Degree in Biology (LM-6) at the University of Turin, with an experimental thesis on the population dynamics of thrips (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) and predatory hemiptera (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae) on strawberry and pepper in Piedmont. I obtained a PhD in Agricultural, Forestry and Agri-food Sciences at the University of Turin, discussing the thesis: “Native parasitoids on exotic pests: performances, adaptation processes and possible use in biological control programs”. The object of the research consisted in the study of the biology, evolutionary adaptations and control abilities of populations of exotic phytophagous pests by indigenous parasitoids in the Tuta absoluta-tomato and Aphis glycines-soybean pathosystems.
Since 2016 I have been studying bio-ecological aspects of insect vectors of the bacterium Xylella fastidiosa in Italy, with particular attention to Philaenus spumarius (Hemiptera: Aphrophoridae). Since 2018 I am a post-doc fellow under the scientific responsibility of Prof. Domenico Bosco and Dr. Cristina Marzachì at the CNR-IPSP, deepening – in the context of the projects European POnTE and XF-ACTORS – aspects of spatial ecology and biology of the transmission of xylem-sap feeder insect vectors of X. fastidiosa and the possible epidemiological effects on pathosystems associated with the bacterium in olive groves and vineyards in Italy. I also carried out experimental research on biological control methods of P. spumarius by means of entomopathogenic fungi, in collaboration with NV Globachem (Sint Truiden, Belgium). Since 2019 I have also participated in scientific projects concerning Scaphoideus titanus – vector of the phytoplasma of Flavescence dorée – in vineyard agroecosystem, focusing on pathogen-vector interactions at both molecular and ecological level and their epidemiological consequences, including aspects of feeding behaviour investigate through electropenetrography techniques (EPG). I am currently involved in the European project BeXyl (Horizon-Farm2Fork), as part of investigating new possibilities for biological control of X. fastidiosa vectors, through entomopathogenic and parasitoid fungi.