Casey Delphia
Graduate Student

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

Phone: 865-3088
Email: cmd283@psu.edu

Advisor: Dr. Consuelo De Moraes and Dr. Gary Felton

Degree Sought: Ph.D. in Entomology

My thesis research explores how various insect- and plant-associated traits affect plant defense responses in solanaceous plants (tobacco and horsenettle). Specifically, I am conducting research examining: 1) the roles that chemicals associated with herbivore feeding play in mediating plant signaling and in influencing interactions with subsequent herbivores, 2) plant responses to herbivory by insects that employ different feeding habits ( i.e., chewing versus piercing-sucking) and to simultaneous herbivory by insects that employ these different feeding strategies, and 3) the effects of genetic variation and inbreeding on host-plant quality, plant signaling, and tritrophic interactions.