Gerben MESSELINK

Gerben Messelink is a research entomologist at Wageningen UR Greenhouse Horticulture (https://www.greenhousehorticulture.wur.nl) in The Netherlands. This institute, where he works since 1999, is dedicated to applied research for the greenhouse industry. Much of his work was aimed at biological control of thrips, spider mites and whiteflies with generalist predatory mites in several greenhouse cropping systems. This work was also the basis for his PhD thesis, which he completed during his work at the institute in collaboration with the University of Amsterdam. His work on generalist predators now includes anthocorid and mirid predatory bugs and food web complexities among species. Right now, he is involved in several research projects which in general are about the evaluation of new natural enemies and developing systems that enhance establishment and persistence of natural enemies for control of thrips, spider mites whiteflies, aphids and mealy bugs.

He joined the IOBC-WPRS in 2002 as participant of the Working Group on Integrated Control in Protected Crops, Temperate Climate. In 2008 he was the local organizer of the meeting of this group in Sint-Michielsgestel in The Netherlands.