Karen Kloth

Dr. Karen Kloth is an Assistant Professor at Wageningen University & Research's Laboratory of Entomology. Her work focuses on plant defense mechanisms against insects and viruses, particularly aphids and their interactions with crops like Arabidopsis, potato, and aspen. She explores topics including glucosinolate genetics, soil-mediated defense strategies, viral infections in plants, and the ecological impacts of pest control methods.

Research Interests:

• Plant defense against phloem-feeding insects
• Genetic basis of aphid resistance
• Systemic acquired resistance and defense priming
• Ecological effects of crop rotation and soil health
• Viral infections in model plants like Arabidopsis

Recent Research Trends: Recent work emphasizes soil-mediated plant defense mechanisms, genetic associations between metabolites and stress responses, and the discovery of latent plant viruses. Her studies bridge molecular genetics, ecological interactions, and agricultural applications.

Advising & Grants: Co-promotor for PhD candidates in projects like 'Versatile aphids' and 'Plant resistance to aphids in wild peppers'. Active in grants involving plant signal dynamics (SignAphy) and multi-herbivore defense strategies. Supervises research on defense plasticity and phylogenetic relationships in Brassicaceae.

Labs & Teams: Primary affiliation with the Laboratory of Entomology, collaborating across disciplines in plant biology, genetics, and ecology.