The Pennsylvania State University
539 Ag Sciences & Industries Building
University Park, PA 16802

Phone: 814-863-2867
FAX: 814-865-3048
Email: mcmescher@psu.edu

Current Graduate Students:

Tom Bentley
Beth Irwin
Kerry Mauck
Justin Runyon
Lori Shapiro
Jordan Smith

Current Post-doctoral Scholars:

Chris Frost

Link to: Center for Chemical Ecology

Education:

Ph.D.: University of Georgia, 2001
B.S.: University of Georgia, 1994

Department Focus Areas:

Chemical Ecology
Disease Ecology and Biology

Research Interests:

My research focuses on the role of plant volatiles in mediating ecological and evolutionary interactions among plants, insects, and pathogens. The main areas of interest of our lab are chemical ecology, disease ecology, co-evolution, and tritrophic interactions.

Recent Publications:

Delphia, C. M., J. R. Rohr, A. G. Stephenson, C. M. De Moraes, and M. C. Mescher. 2008. Effects of genetic variation and inbreeding on volatile production in a field population of horsenettle. International Journal of Plant Sciences, in press.

Runyon, J. B., J. F. Tooker, M. C. Mescher and C. M. De Moraes. 2008. Parasitic plants in agriculture: chemical ecology of germination and host-plant location as targets for sustainable control. Agronomy for Sustainable Development, in press.

Runyon, J. B., M. C. Mescher and C. M. De Moraes. 2008. Parasitism by Cuscuta pentagona attenuates host plant defense of insect herbivores. Plant Physiology, 146: 987-995.

Frost, C. J., M. C. Mescher, J. E. Carlson and C. M. De Moraes. 2008. Plant defense priming against herbivores: getting ready for a different battle. Plant Physiology, 146: 818-824.

Frost, C. J., H. Appel, J. E. Carlson, C. M. De Moraes, M. C. Mescher and J. C. Schultz. 2007. Within-plant signalling via volatiles overcomes vascular constraints on systemic signalling and primes responses against herbivores. Ecology Letters, 10: 490-498.

Delphia, C. M., M. C. Mescher and C. M. De Moraes. 2007. Induction of plant volatiles by herbivores with different feeding habits and the effects of induced defenses on host-plant selection by thrips. Journal of Chemical Ecology, 33: 997-1012.

De Moraes, C. M. and M. C. Mescher. 2006. Chemical communication across tritrophic systems. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 231.

Mescher, M. C., J. B. Runyon, and C. M. De Moraes. 2006. Host finding by parasitic plants: a new perspective on plant to plant communication. Plant Signaling & Behavior, 1(6):284-286.

Runyon, J. B., M. C. Mescher, and C. M. De Moraes. 2006. Volatile chemical cues guide host location and selection by parasitic plants. Science, 313: 1964-1967.

Ferrari, M. J., A.G.Stephenson, M. C. Mescher, and C. M. De Moraes. 2006. Inbreeding effects on blossom volatiles in Curcubita Pepa ssp. Texana. American Journal of Botany, 93:1768-1774.

Delphia, C. M., M. C. Mescher, Felton, G. W. and C. M. De Moraes. 2006. The role of insect-derived cues in eliciting indirect plant defenses in tobacco, Nicotiana tabacum. Plant Signaling & Behavior, 1(5): 243-250.

De Moraes, C. M. and M. C. Mescher. 2005. Intrinsic competition between larval parasitoids with different degrees of host specificity. Ecological Entomology, 30: 1-7.

De Moraes, C. M. and M. C. Mescher. 2004. Biochemical crypsis in the avoidance of natural enemies by an insect herbivore. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 101: 8993-8997

De Moraes, C. M., J. C. Schultz, M. C. Mescher, and J. H. Tumlinson. 2004. Plant signaling and its implications in sensor technology. Journal of Toxicology and Environmental Health Part A, 67: 819-834.

Mescher, M.C., K.G. Ross, D.D. Shoemaker, L. Keller, and M.J.B. Krieger. 2003. Distribution of the two social forms of the fire ant S. invicta in the native South American range. Annals of the Entomological Society of America, 96(6): 810–817.

De Moraes, C. M., M. C. Mescher, and J. H. Tumlinson. 2001. Caterpillar-induced nocturnal plant volatiles repel conspecific females. Nature, 410:577-580.

Fong P., Jacobson, M. E., and M. C. Mescher. 1997. Investigating the management potential of a seagrass model through sensitivity analysis and experiments. Ecological Applications, 1: 300-315.

Press Coverage:

2006

New York Times. This plant has the sense of smell (loves tomatoes, hates wheat). (Henry Fountain) Oct. 3, 2006.

Washington Post. Science Notebook. (David Brown) Oct. 2, 2006

Science News. Scent stalking: parasitic vine grows toward tomato odor. Sept. 30, 2006.

Science in Action, BBC World Service Radio Interview. Sept 29, 2006.

Science. Parasitic weed uses chemical cues to find host plant. Sept. 29, 2006.

National Geographic News. Parasitic weed sniffs out prey, study says. (Sean Markey) Sept. 2006

Leading Edge, BBC Radio 4 Interview. Sept 28, 2006.

All Things Considered, NPR Radio Interview. Sept 28, 2006.

NBC Video. Weed with a nose. (Alan Boyle) Sept. 28, 2006.

International Herald Tribune. Smells like trouble: parasitic weed sniffsout its prey. Sept. 2006.

2004

Intercom. Food choice helps hungry caterpillars. (A'ndrea Elyse Messer) Oct. 2004.

Washington Post. Unusual diet helps caterpillars. June, 2004.

2003

True Health. Plants repel insect pests. 2003.

Odyssey – Adventures in science. Talking Trees. (C. Berger) Mar. 2003.

2002

Discover Magazine. Talking plants. (S. Russell). April, 2002.

2001

Natural History. Stay Away from Tobacco (Heather Van Daren). October, 2001.

Washington Post. Fending off nighttime attacks. April 15, 2001.

Nature (science update). Nocturnal emissions repel moths (John Whitfield) Apr. 2001.

Nature (science update). Leaf me Alone. (John Whitfield). Apr. 2001.

Le Monde. Les subtiles leçons de lutte biologique des végétaux contre les prédateurs.April. 2001.

CNN headline news. Apr. 3, 2001.

The Scientist. Plants put up the 'occupied' sign. (Kenneth Lee). March 30, 2001

Nature. Making crops cry for help (John Whitfield). Mar. 29 2001.