Dr. Anna Spescha

Research Interest

I am interested in the biological control of insect pests and plant diseases. My favorite biocontrol agents are fluorescent Pseudomonas bacteria with insecticidal, disease suppressing and plant growth promoting abilities. In my PhD project, we evaluated three promising biocontrol agents against the cabbage maggot Delia radicum. Insecticidal pseudomonads and their combination with entomopathogenic nematodes and fungi were particularly effective in greenhouse experiments and a field trial. For the development of a Pseudomonas product and a combined application, efficacy and consistency as well as interactions between the biocontrol organisms must be investigated and a risk analysis carried out. 

In my current project, we want to test the pseudomonads and the triple combination for use against the cabbage maggot and other important pests like the bean seed fly. We will do several field trials to test the efficacy and consistency of the consortium, perform risk analyses for all three biocontrol agents (e.g. non-target effects) and track if the agents co-infect the same insect in pot experiments. This could lead to the development of a new biocontrol organism and a new biocontrol method based on combinations. In addition, a risk analysis strategy is being developed for three different biocontrol organisms, which can serve as a guideline for companies applying for registration.

More information on my PhD project: 
https://worldfoodsystem.ethz.ch/research/research-programs/MRP/BeneComb.html

More information on my current project: BioPro

Short CV

2025 – 2027: Post-doc, Plant Pathology Group, Institute of Integrative Biology, ETH Zurich, Switzerland. Project: «Biological control of below-ground pests using combinations of insecticidal Pseudomonas bacteria, fungi and nematodes»

2023: Post-doc, Plant Pathology Group, Institute of Integrative Biology, ETH Zurich, Switzerland. Project: «Biocontrol potential against foliar pests and diseases and comparative genomics of fluorescent pseudomonads»

2018 - 2023: PhD student, Plant Pathology Group, Institute of Integrative Biology, ETH Zurich, Switzerland. PhD thesis: «Exploring the Biocontrol Potential of Insecticidal Fluorescent Pseudomonads Applied Alone and in Combination with Entomopathogenic Nematodes and Fungi»

2016 - 2018: Master in Agricultural Sciences, ETH Zürich.

2013 - 2016: Bachelor in Agricultural Sciences, ETH Zürich.

Professional Associations

Member of the Swiss Society for Phytiatry (SGP/SSP), Swiss Society of Agronomy (SGPW/SSA).

Publications

Maria Zwyssig^*, Anna Spescha^*, Tabea Patt, Adrian Belosevic, Ricardo A. R. Machado, Alice Regaiolo, Christoph Keel, Monika Maurhofer, 2024. Entomopathogenic pseudomonads can share an insect host with entomopathogenic nematodes and their mutualistic bacteria. ISME J 18 (1): wrae028. doi: 10.1093/ismejo/wrae028

Anna Spescha^*, Maria Zwyssig^*, Mathias Hess Hermida, Aurélie Moix, Pamela Bruno, Jürg Enkerli, Raquel Campos-Herrera, Giselher Grabenweger, Monika Maurhofer, 2023. When Competitors Join Forces: Consortia of Entomopathogenic Microorganisms Increase Killing Speed and Mortality in Leaf- and Root-Feeding Insect Hosts. Microb Ecol 86, 1947–1960. doi: 10.1007/s00248-023-02191-0

Anna Spescha, Joana Weibel, Lara Wyser, Michael Brunner, Mathias Hess Hermida, Aurélie Moix, Franziska Scheibler, Anouk Guyer, Raquel Campos-Herrera, Giselher Grabenweger, Monika Maurhofer, 2023. Combining entomopathogenic Pseudomonas bacteria, nematodes and fungi for biological control of a below-ground insect pest. Agric Ecosys Environ, 348: 108414. doi: 10.1016/j.agee.2023.108414

Daniel Ariza Suarez^*, Beat Keller^*, Anna Spescha, Johan Steven Aparicio, Victor Mayor, Ana Elizabeth Portilla-Benavides, Hector Fabio Buendia, Juan Miguel Bueno, Bruno Studer, Bodo Raatz, 2022. Genetic analysis of resistance to bean leaf crumple virus identifies a candidate LRR-RLK gene. Plant J. doi: 10.1111/tpj.15810 

Pamela Bruno, Carla Arce, Ricardo Machado, Gaia Besomi, Anna Spescha, Gaétan Glauser, Charlyne Jaccard, Betty Benrey, Ted Turlings, 2022. Sequestration of cucurbitacins from cucumber plants by Diabrotica balteata larvae provides little protection against biological control agents. J Pest Sci. doi: 10.1007/s10340-022- 01568-3 

* These authors contributed equally