Carolyn Mitchell
Current research interests
My research is concerned with integrated pest management in soft fruit systems (mainly raspberry and blackcurrant). In particular, I coordinate an HDC funded project, 'Developing techniques to manage raspberry leaf and bud mite in tunnel production' which aims to control leaf and bud mite using natural enemies and minimal acaricide applications. This work involves liaising with soft fruit growers and industry representatives on a regular basis to assess commercial needs and focus our research to address these needs. On completion of this research it is hoped to develop sustainable methods of IPM on protected raspberry plots that do not rely on fungicide and pesticide applications during flowering and fruit development but still provide a high quality of fruit with minimal residue levels.
My other research interest is another insect pest of raspberries, the clay coloured weevil (Otiorhynchus singularis). Very little work has been done on this pest in recent times and there is now a need to further understand the weevil’s biology and use this information to find new ways of controlling pest numbers.
Past research
- 2002-2007: PhD, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee and SCRI. Novel approaches to the development of integrated pest management in UK raspberry production.
- 2000-2002: MSc, School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee. Superparasitism in Venturia canescens (Gravenhorst) (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae).
- 1996-2000: BSc (Hons) Ecology (upper second class), School of Life Sciences, University of Dundee.
Bibliography
- Brooker, R.W.; Hewison, R.; Mitchell, C.; Newton, A.C.; Pakeman, R.J.; Schöb, C.; Karley, A.J. (In press) Does crop genetic diversity support positive biodiversity effects under experimental drought?, Basic and Applied Ecology.
- Morera-Margarit, P.; Pope, T.W.; Mitchell, C.; Karley, A.J. (2021) Could bacterial associations determine the success of weevil species?, Annals of Applied Biology, 178, 51-61, Article No. 667314.
- Morera-Margarit, P.; Karley, A.J.; Mitchell, C.; Graham, R.I.; Pope, T.W. (2020) Geographic origin may not influence vine weevil Otiorhynchus sulcatus (Fabricius) susceptibility to the entomopathogenioc fungus Metarhiziumbrunneum (Petch)., Biocontrol Science and Technology, 30, 1018-1025.
- Pakeman, R.J.; Brooker, R.W.; Karley, A.J.; Newton, A.C.; Mitchell, C.; Hewison, R.L.; Pollenus, J.; Guy, D.C.; Schöb, C. (2020) Increased crop diversity reduces the functional space available for weeds., Weed Research, 60, 121-131.
- Morera-Margarit, P.; Bulgarelli, D.; Pope T.W.; Graham, R.I.; Mitchell, C.; Karley, A.J. (2019) The bacterial community associated with adult vine weevil (Otiorhynchus sulcatus) in UK populations growing on strawberry is dominated by Candidatus Nardonella., Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata, 167, 186-196.
- Mitchell, C.; Hawes, C.; Iannetta, P.P.M.; Birch, A.N.E.; Begg, G.; Karley, A. (2018) An agroecological approach for weed, pest and disease management in Rubus plantations., In: Graham, J. & Brennan, R. (eds.). Raspberry: Breeding, Challenges and Advances. Springer International Publishing, Cham, Chapter 5, pp63-81.
- Mitchell, C.; Brennan, R.M.; Graham, J.; Karley, A.J. (2016) Plant defense against herbivorous pests: exploiting resistance and tolerance traits for sustainable crop protection., Frontiers in Plant Science, 7, Article No. 1132.
- Donald, K.J.; Clarke, H.V.; Mitchell, C.; Cornwell, R.M.; Hubbard, S.F.; Karley, A.J. (2016) Protection of pea aphids associated with coinfecting bacterial symbionts persists during superparasitism by a braconid wasp., Microbial Ecology, 71, 1-4.
- Graham, J.; Hackett, C.A.; Smith, K.; Karley, A.J.; Mitchell, C.; Roberts, H.; O'Neill, T. (2014) Genetic and environmental regulation of plant architectural traits and opportunities for pest and disease control in raspberry., Annals of Applied Biology, 165, 318-328.
- Mitchell, C.; Brennan, R.; Graham, J.; Johnson, S.; Karley, A.J.; O’Neill, T.; Roberts, H. (2013) Physical traits in raspberry provide resistance to pest and diseases., Aspects of Applied Biology, 119, 183-187.
- Johnson, S.N.; Mitchell, C.; McNicol, J.W.; Thompson, J.; Karley, A.J. (2013) Downstairs drivers - root herbivores shape communities of above-ground herbivores and natural enemies via changes in plant nutrients., Journal of Animal Ecology, 82, 1021-1030.
- Clark, K.E.; Hartley, S.E.; Brennan, R.M.; Jennings, S.N.; McMenemy, L.S.; McNicol, J.W.; Mitchell, C.; Johnson, S.N. (2012) Effects of cultivar and egg density on a colonizing vine weevil (Otiorhynchus sulcatus) population and its impacts on red raspberry growth and yield., Crop Protection, 321, 76-82.
- McGavin, W.J.; Mitchell, C.; Cock, P.J.A.; Wright, K.M.; MacFarlane, S.A. (2012) Raspberry leaf blotch virus, a putative new member of the genus Emaravirus, encodes a novel genomic RNA., Journal of General Virology, 93, 430-437.
- Mitchell, C.; Brennan, R.M.; Cross, J.V.; Johnson, S.N. (2011) Arthropod pests of currant and gooseberry crops in the UK: their biology, management and future prospects., Agricultural and Forest Entomology, 13, 221-237.
- Johnson, S.N.; Petitjean, S.; Clark, K.E.; Mitchell, C. (2010) Protected raspberry production accelerates onset of oviposition by vine weevils (Otiorhynchus sulcatus)., Agricultural and Forest Entomology, 12, 277-283.
- Mitchell, C.; Johnson, S.N.; Gordon, S.C.; Birch, A.N.E.; Hubbard, S.F. (2010) Combining plant resistance and a natural enemy to control Amphorophora idaei., BioControl, 55, 321-327.
- McMenemy, L.S.; Mitchell, C.; Johnson, S.N. (2009) Biology of the European large raspberry aphid (Amphorophora idaei); its role in virus transmission and resistance breakdown in red raspberry., Agricultural and Forest Entomology, 11, 61-71.
- Johnson, S.N.; Karley, A.J.; Hawes, C.; Mitchell, C. (2008) Aboveground-belowground trophic linkages., Annual Report of the Scottish Crop Research Institute for 2007, pp40-41.
- Fenton, B.; Birch, A.N.E.; Clyne, C.; Kasprowicz, L.; Malloch, G.; Mitchell, C.; Gordon, S.C. (2004) No sex please - we're British aphids., Annual Report of the Scottish Crop Research Institute for 2003/2004, pp164-166.
- Morera-Margarit, P.; Pope, T.W.; Mitchell, C.; Karley, A.J. (2021) Could bacterial associations determine the success of weevil species?, Annals of Applied Biology, 178, 51-61, Article No. 667314.
- Morera-Margarit, P.; Karley, A.J.; Mitchell, C.; Graham, R.I.; Pope, T.W. (2020) Geographic origin may not influence vine weevil Otiorhynchus sulcatus (Fabricius) susceptibility to the entomopathogenioc fungus Metarhiziumbrunneum (Petch)., Biocontrol Science and Technology, 30, 1018-1025.
- Pakeman, R.J.; Brooker, R.W.; Karley, A.J.; Newton, A.C.; Mitchell, C.; Hewison, R.L.; Pollenus, J.; Guy, D.C.; Schöb, C. (2020) Increased crop diversity reduces the functional space available for weeds., Weed Research, 60, 121-131.
- Morera-Margarit, P.; Bulgarelli, D.; Pope T.W.; Graham, R.I.; Mitchell, C.; Karley, A.J. (2019) The bacterial community associated with adult vine weevil (Otiorhynchus sulcatus) in UK populations growing on strawberry is dominated by Candidatus Nardonella., Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata, 167, 186-196.
- Mitchell, C.; Brennan, R.M.; Graham, J.; Karley, A.J. (2016) Plant defense against herbivorous pests: exploiting resistance and tolerance traits for sustainable crop protection., Frontiers in Plant Science, 7, Article No. 1132.
- Donald, K.J.; Clarke, H.V.; Mitchell, C.; Cornwell, R.M.; Hubbard, S.F.; Karley, A.J. (2016) Protection of pea aphids associated with coinfecting bacterial symbionts persists during superparasitism by a braconid wasp., Microbial Ecology, 71, 1-4.
- Graham, J.; Hackett, C.A.; Smith, K.; Karley, A.J.; Mitchell, C.; Roberts, H.; O'Neill, T. (2014) Genetic and environmental regulation of plant architectural traits and opportunities for pest and disease control in raspberry., Annals of Applied Biology, 165, 318-328.
- Mitchell, C.; Brennan, R.; Graham, J.; Johnson, S.; Karley, A.J.; O’Neill, T.; Roberts, H. (2013) Physical traits in raspberry provide resistance to pest and diseases., Aspects of Applied Biology, 119, 183-187.
- Johnson, S.N.; Mitchell, C.; McNicol, J.W.; Thompson, J.; Karley, A.J. (2013) Downstairs drivers - root herbivores shape communities of above-ground herbivores and natural enemies via changes in plant nutrients., Journal of Animal Ecology, 82, 1021-1030.
- Clark, K.E.; Hartley, S.E.; Brennan, R.M.; Jennings, S.N.; McMenemy, L.S.; McNicol, J.W.; Mitchell, C.; Johnson, S.N. (2012) Effects of cultivar and egg density on a colonizing vine weevil (Otiorhynchus sulcatus) population and its impacts on red raspberry growth and yield., Crop Protection, 321, 76-82.
- McGavin, W.J.; Mitchell, C.; Cock, P.J.A.; Wright, K.M.; MacFarlane, S.A. (2012) Raspberry leaf blotch virus, a putative new member of the genus Emaravirus, encodes a novel genomic RNA., Journal of General Virology, 93, 430-437.
- Mitchell, C.; Brennan, R.M.; Cross, J.V.; Johnson, S.N. (2011) Arthropod pests of currant and gooseberry crops in the UK: their biology, management and future prospects., Agricultural and Forest Entomology, 13, 221-237.
- Johnson, S.N.; Petitjean, S.; Clark, K.E.; Mitchell, C. (2010) Protected raspberry production accelerates onset of oviposition by vine weevils (Otiorhynchus sulcatus)., Agricultural and Forest Entomology, 12, 277-283.
- Mitchell, C.; Johnson, S.N.; Gordon, S.C.; Birch, A.N.E.; Hubbard, S.F. (2010) Combining plant resistance and a natural enemy to control Amphorophora idaei., BioControl, 55, 321-327.
- McMenemy, L.S.; Mitchell, C.; Johnson, S.N. (2009) Biology of the European large raspberry aphid (Amphorophora idaei); its role in virus transmission and resistance breakdown in red raspberry., Agricultural and Forest Entomology, 11, 61-71.
- Mitchell, C.; Hawes, C.; Iannetta, P.P.M.; Birch, A.N.E.; Begg, G.; Karley, A. (2018) An agroecological approach for weed, pest and disease management in Rubus plantations., In: Graham, J. & Brennan, R. (eds.). Raspberry: Breeding, Challenges and Advances. Springer International Publishing, Cham, Chapter 5, pp63-81.
- Johnson, S.N.; Karley, A.J.; Hawes, C.; Mitchell, C. (2008) Aboveground-belowground trophic linkages., Annual Report of the Scottish Crop Research Institute for 2007, pp40-41.
- Fenton, B.; Birch, A.N.E.; Clyne, C.; Kasprowicz, L.; Malloch, G.; Mitchell, C.; Gordon, S.C. (2004) No sex please - we're British aphids., Annual Report of the Scottish Crop Research Institute for 2003/2004, pp164-166.
