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Kerry McDonald-Howard

School of Biological and Environmental Sciences

Faculty of Science

I’m a PhD student in biological and environmental sciences and my main focus is investigations into the parasitic nematode of slugs, Phasmarhabditis hermaphrodita. I am match funded by the Royal Horticultural Society and Liverpool Johns Moores University to carry out research into how abiotic factors may be influencing the efficacy of the P. hermaphrodita as a biological control and how to further improve this efficacy.
The abiotic work involves investigating how soil types and temperatures may impact survival, host finding behaviour and pathogenicity.
Further improving the efficacy will be performed by trialling the ideal abiotic factors in the field and investigating a synergistic approach by adding biorational controls, essential oils, to enhance the effectiveness.

Degrees

2018, Bangor University, United Kingdom, BSc Zoology

Journal article

Rae R, Sheehy L, McDonald-Howard K. 2023. Thirty years of slug control using the parasitic nematode Phasmarhabditis hermaphrodita and beyond Pest Management Science, DOI Author Url Publisher Url Public Url

Sheehy L, MacDonald-Howard K, Williams CD, Weedall GD, Jones H, Rae R. 2023. A parasitic nematode induces dysbiosis in susceptible but not resistant gastropod hosts MicrobiologyOpen, 12 DOI Author Url Publisher Url Public Url

McDonald-Howard K, Williams CD, Jones H, Rae R. 2022. A method of culturing and breeding slugs through several generations Journal of Molluscan Studies, 88 DOI Author Url Publisher Url Public Url

Barua A, McDonald-Howard K, McDonnell R, Rae R, Williams CD. 2020. Toxicity of essential oils to slug parasitic and entomopathogenic nematodes Journal of Pest Science, 93 :1411-1419 DOI Author Url Publisher Url Public Url

Thesis/Dissertation

McDonald-Howard K-L. 2023. Investigations into the efficacy of the slug and snail biological control Phasmarhabditis hermaphrodita Rae R, Williams C, Jones H. Public Url

Conference presentation:

The effect of soil type and temperature on the slug parasitic nematode Phasmarhabditis hermaphrodita, Advances in Nematology 2019, Edinburgh, Poster presentation. 2019

The effect of soil type and temperature on the survival of the slug parasitic nematode Phasmarhabditis hermaphrodita, RHS PhD Symposium, RHS Wisley, Oral presentation. 2019

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