Meet Chaymae Fennine – one of the two new postdocs in One Health!

Earlier this year, SLU Future One Health announced a call for partial funding for two postdoc salaries. Chaymae Fennine was given one of these two postdoc positions, and the title of her project is Mining for a One Health Solution for Sustainable Tomato Production in Low and Middle-Income Countries. Main applicant was Teun Dekker from the Department of Plant Protection Biology at the Faculty of Natural Resources and Agricultural Sciences. 

Hi Chaymae! Who are you? 

"I am Chaymae, a postdoc in insects’ chemical ecology within the Department of Plant Protection Biology in Alnarp. I am working on sustainable pest management for tomato production in Eastern Africa, targeting the tomato leafminer, Tuta absoluta. Since the currently used control methods endanger the safety of farmers, consumers, and agro-ecosystem, we aim to develop environmentally and health-friendly lures for the low-cost management of this pest on small-scale farms".

How did you become interested in your field of research?

"I have always been passionate about insects and amazed by the world of olfaction. I find the insect-plant relationship particularly special. The way the plants serve as rendezvous places, emit volatiles to attract insects (as pests), and then attract other groups of insects (as natural enemies) to run for their help is fascinating. Within this project, we will utilise the chemical signals employed by male and female tomato leafminers and those emitted by tomato plants and detected by leafminers to develop eco-friendly lures."  

What research results do you expect/hope to achieve within two years?

"In two years, we expect to implement two strategies for the sustainable management of tomato leafminer: mating disruption and attract-and-kill approaches. We aim to assist small-scale farmers in reducing their reliance on the excessive use of insecticides and improve the quality and safety of their tomato production.

Why is an interdisciplinary (One Health) approach necessary for your study?

"An interdisciplinary approach is required for our research due to the current reliance on insecticides for the management of tomato leafminer, which negatively impacts the ecosystem and creates serious health concerns for both farmers and consumers".

What are your future plans?

"Following the completion of my PhD journey, I am planning to further explore the chemical ecology of insects, spanning both fundamental and applied aspects. I aim to delve into the understanding of olfactory tuning and to utilize this understanding to develop innovative sustainable pest management tools."