Page 27 - through Clusters and Networks
P. 27
“Imagine being a plant. Imagine being
unable to run away from danger and
everybody wanting to get a bite. Being
sessile, plants have evolved
fascinating strategies to protect
themselves. To combat herbivore
stress, they seek help from friends just
like us. In a classic case of ‘the enemy
of my enemy is a friend’ plants send
distress signals to attract parasitic
wasps and predators to get rid
of herbivores.
Insect herbivores, on the other hand,
are not passive and evolve ways to
overcome plant defenses by various
means. Parasitic wasps are also very
specific in choosing their host as their
future depends on it. Thus, plants and
insects are continuously evolving in a
co-evolutionary race to outsmart each
other using chemistry.
Our group works to understand this
complex interaction asking various
interesting research questions using
analytical and molecular tools.”
Dr. Radhika Venkatesan
Reader, Ramanujan Fellow Storyboard illustration (moth larvae & parasitoid story)
NCBS-TIFR,
Bangalore
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