My discipline, chemical ecology, is at the interface of ecology, chemistry and biology.

I am mainly interested in semiochemicals, molecules that are involved in the modification of animal behavior, whether they are released by plants, animals or microorganisms. 
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One of the focus of my group the interactions of crop plant volatiles and insect pests and their natural enemies. I am also very much interested in invasive alien species. Developing new biological control methods is an applied goal of my research. 

​The laboratory is equipped with multiple volatile collection setups, gas-chromatography, plant/insect rearing (quarantine) rooms and devices to study animal behavior. 
Laboratory of Chemical and Behavioral Ecology, Gembloux Agro-Bio Tech, 2019
I am also interested in thanatochemistry, the study of the volatile organic compounds released from a decaying corpse. 

​We develop novel methodologies for their collection and analysis, and we have applied them recently on the study of the volatile emission of human cadavers.  

We also study the perception of cadaveric compounds by rats, dogs and necrophagous insects, with long-lasting collaborations with Police forces. ​​

Finally, I actively participate in several North-South cooperation projects organized in Burkina Faso, Madagascar or Niger.

I aim at training young researchers in the field of integrated pest management. Recently, we have developed new biological control methods against Lepidopterans on Corn and Tomato in Burkina Faso. 
Recent Publications (2021-2023)
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My full list of publications can be downloaded from this link
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  • Blanchard, S., Verheggen, F., Van De Vreken, I., Richel, A., & Detrain, C. (2022). Combined Elevation of Temperature and CO2 Impacts the Production and Sugar Composition of Aphid Honeydew. Journal of Chemical Ecology. doi:10.1007/s10886-022-01385-z. https://hdl.handle.net/2268/295390
  • Martin, C., Willem, N., Desablens, S., Menard, V., Tajri, S., Blanchard, S., Brostaux, Y., Verheggen, F., & Diederich, C. (30 August 2022). What a good boy! Deciphering the efficiency of detection dogs. Frontiers in Analytical Science, 2. doi:10.3389/frans.2022.932857. https://hdl.handle.net/2268/295349
  • Verheggen, F., Barrès, B., Bonafos, R., Desneux, N., Escobar-Gutiérrez, A. J., Gachet, E., Laville, J., Siegwart, M., Thiéry, D., & Jactel, H. (2022). Producing sugar beets without neonicotinoids: An evaluation of alternatives for the management of viruses-transmitting aphids. Entomologia Generalis, 42 (4), 491 - 498. doi:10.1127/entomologia/2022/1511. https://hdl.handle.net/2268/294122
  • AHISSOU, B. R., Sawadogo, W. M., SANKARA, F., Brostaux, Y., BOKONON-GANTA, A. H., SOMDA, I., & Verheggen, F. (July 2022). Annual dynamics of fall armyworm populations in West Africa and biology in different host plants. Scientific African, 16, 01227. doi:10.1016/j.sciaf.2022.e01227. https://hdl.handle.net/2268/294123
  • Roggatz, C. C., Saha, M., Blanchard, S., Schirrmacher, P., Fink, P., Verheggen, F., & Hardege, J. D. (2022). Becoming nose-blind-Climate change impacts on chemical communication. Global Change Biology. doi:10.1111/gcb.16209. https://hdl.handle.net/2268/292376
  • Epstein, Y., Chapron, G., & Verheggen, F. (2022). What is an emergency? Neonicotinoids and emergency situations in plant protection in the EU. AMBIO: A Journal of the Human Environment. doi:10.1007/s13280-022-01703-5. https://hdl.handle.net/2268/290824
  • Sawadogo, M. W., Mano, E., Ahissou, B. R., Somda, I., Nacro, S., Legrève, A., & Verheggen, F. (2022). Nesidiocoris tenuis in Burkina Faso: Distribution, predatory capacity and insecticide sensibility. Physiological Entomology. doi:10.1111/phen.12389. https://hdl.handle.net/2268/290825
  • Leroy, N., Hanciaux, N., Cornelis, J.-T., & Verheggen, F. (2022). Silicon accumulation in maize negatively impacts the feeding and life history traits of Spodoptera exigua Hübner. Entomologia Generalis. doi:10.1127/entomologia/2021/1357. https://hdl.handle.net/2268/265724
  • Ahissou, B. R., Sawadogo, W. M., Dabiré, G. T., Kambiré, F. C., Bokonon-Ganta, A. H., Somda, I., & Verheggen, F. (2022). Susceptibility of fall armyworm Spodoptera frugiperda (JE Smith) to microbial and botanical bioinsecticides and control failure likelihood estimation. Biotechnologie, Agronomie, Société et Environnement, 136-143. doi:10.25518/1780-4507.19793. https://hdl.handle.net/2268/294402
  • Epstein, Y., Chapron, G., & Verheggen, F. (2021). EU Court to rule on banned pesticide use. Science, 373(6552), 290. doi:10.1126/science.abj9226. https://hdl.handle.net/2268/261767
  • Blanchard, S., Van Offelen, J., Verheggen, F., & Detrain, C. (2021). Towards more intimacy: moderate elevation of temperature drives increases in foraging and mutualistic interactions between Lasius niger and Aphis fabae. Ecological Entomology, 46 (2), 406 - 418. doi:10.1111/een.12982. https://hdl.handle.net/2268/295391
  • Sawadogo, W. M., Dabire, R. A., Ahissou, B. R., Bonzi, S., Somda, I., Nacro, S., Martin, C., Legrève, A., & Verheggen, F. (2021). Comparison of life history traits and oviposition preferences of Tuta absoluta for twelve common tomato varieties in Burkina Faso. Physiological Entomology. doi:10.1111/phen.12373. https://hdl.handle.net/2268/264712
  • La Forgia, D., Bruno, P., Campos-Herrera, R., Turlings, T., & Verheggen, F. (2021). The lure of hidden death: development of an attract-and-kill strategy against Agriotes obscurus (Coleoptera: Elateridae) combining semiochemicals and entomopathogenic nematodes. Turkish Journal of Zoology, 45. doi:10.3906/zoo-2106-38. https://hdl.handle.net/2268/264704
  • Martin, C., Maesen, P., Minchilli, D., Francis, F., & Verheggen, F. (2021). Forensic taphonomy: Characterization of the gravesoil chemistry using a multivariate approach combining chemical and volatile analyses. Forensic Science International. doi:10.1016/j.forsciint.2020.110569. https://hdl.handle.net/2268/254071
  • Ahissou, B. R., Sawadogo, W. M., Bonzi, S., Baimey, H., Somda, I., Bokonon-Ganta, A., & Verheggen, F. (2021). Natural enemies of the fall armyworm Spodoptera frugiperda (Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) in Burkina Faso. Tropicultura, 39 (3). doi:10.25518/2295-8010.1881. https://hdl.handle.net/2268/264818
  • Desneux, N., Han, P., Mansour, R., Arnó, J., Brévault, T., Campos, M. R., Chailleux, A., Guedes, R. N. C., Karimi, J., Konan, K. A. J., Lavoir, A. V., Luna, M. G., Perez‑Hedo, M., Urbaneja, A., Verheggen, F., Zappalà, L., Abbes, K., Ali, A., Bayram, Y., ... Biondi, A. (2021). Integrated pest management of Tuta absoluta: practical implementations across different world regions. Journal of Pest Science. doi:10.1007/s10340-021-01442-8. https://hdl.handle.net/2268/264736
  • Ahissou, B. R., Sawadogo, W. M., Bokonon-Ganta, A., Somda, I., & Verheggen, F. (2021). Baseline toxicity data of different insecticides against the fall armyworm Spodoptera frugiperda (Smith) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) and control failure likelihood estimation in Burkina Faso. African Entomology, 29 (2), 435-444. doi:10.4001/003.029.0435. https://hdl.handle.net/2268/264710
  • Preti, M., Verheggen, F., & Angeli, S. (2021). Insect pest monitoring with camera‑equipped traps: strengths and limitations. Journal of Pest Science. doi:10.1007/s10340-020-01309-4. https://hdl.handle.net/2268/261623
  • Saha, M., Gilon, P., & Verheggen, F. (2021). Volatile-mediated interactions with surface-associated microbes: A parallelism between phyllosphere of plants and eco-chemosphere of seaweeds. Journal of Ecology. doi:10.1111/1365-2745.13693. https://hdl.handle.net/2268/261619
  • Boullis, A., Mulatier, M., Delannay, C., Héry, L., Verheggen, F., & Vega-Rua, A. (2021). Behavioural and antennal responses of Aedes aegypti (l.) (Diptera: Culicidae) gravid females to chemical cues from conspecific lar. PLoS ONE, 16 (2), 0247657. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0247657. https://hdl.handle.net/2268/261777
  • Ahissou, B. R., Sawadogo, W. M., Bokonon-Ganta, A., Somda, I., & Verheggen, F. (2021). Integrated pest management options for the fall armyworm Spodoptera frugiperda in West Africa: Challenges and opportunities. A review. Biotechnologie, Agronomie, Société et Environnement, 25, 192-207. ​https://hdl.handle.net/2268/264709
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