Popillia japonica Genome sequencing (Italy), geographic variation and response to treatments.. Popillia japonica

Aim of the project is to sequence and annotate the nuclear genome of the agricultural pest Popillia japonica (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) targeting the population that invaded Italy in 2014. Multiple specimens from ancestral as well as invasive populations will be analysed to invastigate genetic variability connected to colonization and/or selection. RNAseq data will be analysed to study response to insecticide treatments. Primary data will be WGS-DNA as well as total- and mRNAseq sequences.