Utah State University DigitalCommons@USU All Graduate Theses and Dissertations Graduate Studies 8-2020 Interactions Between Water-Stress and Maize Resistance to Spider Mites with Varied Host Specialization Gunbharpur S. Gill Utah State University Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/etd Part of the Biology Commons Recommended Citation Gill, Gunbharpur S., "Interactions Between Water-Stress and Maize Resistance to Spider Mites with Varied Host Specialization" (2020). All Graduate Theses and Dissertations. 7856. https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/etd/7856 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate Studies at DigitalCommons@USU. It has been accepted for inclusion in All Graduate Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@USU. For more information, please contact
[email protected]. INTERACTIONS BETWEEN WATER-STRESS AND MAIZE RESISTANCE TO SPIDER MITES WITH VARIED HOST SPECIALIZATION by Gunbharpur S. Gill A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY in Biology Approved: ______________________ ____________________ Ricardo Ramirez, Ph.D. Diane Alston, Ph.D. Major Professor Committee Member ______________________ ____________________ Niel Allen, Ph.D. Juan Villalba, Ph.D. Committee Member Committee Member ______________________ ____________________ Noelle Beckman, Ph.D. Richard S. Inouye, Ph.D. Committee Member Vice Provost for Graduate Studies UTAH STATE UNIVERSITY Logan, Utah 2020 ii Copyright © Gunbharpur S. Gill 2020 All Rights Reserved iii ABSTRACT Interactions between water-stress and maize resistance to spider mites with varied host specialization by Gunbharpur S. Gill, Doctor of Philosophy Utah State University, 2020 Major Professor: Dr. Ricardo A. Ramirez Department: Biology An increase in the frequency and intensity of abiotic and biotic stresses due to climate change is predicted to cause major declines in agricultural production worldwide.