Fiona Highet

Senior Entomologist

Telephone Number
+44(0)131 244 8830

Email Address
fiona.highet@sasa.gsi.gov.uk

Research interests/Areas of expertise

Aphids and their transmission of potato viruses
Taxonomic identification of aphids and plant pests
Identification, management and epidemiology of honey bee pests and diseases
Risk assessments, surveillance planning and outbreak management for quarantine insect pests of plants and honey bees

Biography

2005 – Present. Entomology Manager/Senior Entomologist, Virology and Zoology, SASA. I currently lead the entomology team at SASA. The team provide diagnoses and advice to SG plant and animal health policy/inspectors and the industry on a range of issues including aphid/virus epidemiology, quarantine insect pests and all aspects of honey bee health. We are involved in a number of research collaborations focussing on honey bee health and quarantine plant pests of concern to Scottish agriculture.
1999 – 2005. Diagnostician, Virology and Zoology, SASA. My main duties were identification of aphid species and examining soil samples for the presence of potato cyst nematodes. I was also involved in surveillance exercises and monitoring/eradication programmes. In this role, I developed extensive taxonomic skills for aphid, nematode and quarantine insect diagnostics and expertise in fieldwork and surveillance practices for insect pests and vector species.
1993- 1997. BSc (Hons) Zoology The University of Glasgow

Publications

Highet F, Toteva G, Downie M, Peterson M, Gray AJ, Reid A. 2018. The Bees Needs: Using a molecular analysis of bee collected pollen to understand which plants play an important role in honey bee forage. Crop Protection in Northern Britain 2018. :37-42.
Sjölund MJ, Highet F, Clark M, Kenyon DM. 2018. The implications of Candidatus liberibacter solanacearum in Trioza anthrisci for the United Kingdom. Crop Protection in Northern Britain 2018. :221-224.
Sjölund MJ, Clark M, Carnegie M, Greenslade AFC, Ouvrard D, Highet F, Sigvald R, Bell JR, Arnsdorf YM, Cairns R et al.. 2017. First report of ‘Candidatus Liberibacter solanacearum’ in the United Kingdom in the psyllid Trioza anthrisci. New Disease Reports. 36:4.
Sjölund MJ, Carnegie M, Greenslade AFC, Ouvrard D, Highet F, Kenyon DM, Sigvald R, Bell JR. 2017. The identification and detection of psyllid vectors of CaLsol in suction traps.
Malloch G, Pickup J, Highet F, Foster S, Williamson M, Fenton B. 2016. Assessment of the spread of pyrethroid resistant grain aphid (Sitobion avenae) and an update on changes in the population structure of peach potato aphid (Myzus persicae) in Scotland. Proceedings Crop Protection in Northern Britain 2016. :223-228.
Sjölund MJ, Kenyon DM, Highet F, Ouvrard D. 2016. Developing an RT-PCR assay for the identification of psyllid species. Proceedings Crop Protection in Northern Britain 2016. :279-282.
Regan T, Barnett M, Bush S, Laetsch D, Highet F, Budge G, Blaxter M, Freeman T. 2016. Sequence Analysis of the Holobiome of British Honey Bees. Edinburgh Genomics Conference.
Chard J, Monger W, Highet F, Schlenzig A, Kenyon DM, Pickup J. 2016. Update on Plant Health. Proceedings Crop Protection in Northern Britain 2016. :191-196.
Highet F, Pearson K. 2015. Epitrix pubescens can cause damage to potato (Solanum tuberosum). EPPO Bulletin. 45(2):221-222.
Gray R, Reid A, Highet F. 2014. Development of real-time PCR assays for the identification of virus vector aphid species. 10th European Congress of Entomology.
Highet F, Sunderland S. 2014. Factors affecting the health of Scottish honey bee colonies. Proceedings Crop Protection in Northern Britain 2014. :39-44.
Nisbet C, Ross S, Monger W, Highet F, Jeffries CJ. 2014. First report of 'Candidatus Phytoplasma asteris' in commercial carrots in the United Kingdom. New Disease Reports . 30:16.
Highet F, McAnespie P, Connolly C. 2013. Disease screening (a knowledge transfer project). Scottish Beekeeper. 90(10):261-262.
Bollan KA, Hothersall JD, Moffat C, Durkacz J, Saranzewa N, Wright GA, Raine N, Highet F, Connolly CN. 2013. The microsporidian parasites Nosema ceranae and Nosema apis are widespread in honeybee (Apis mellifera) colonies across Scotland. Parasitology Research. 112(2):751-759.
Pickup J, Highet F, Lacomme C. 2013. Use of aphid suction traps and seed potato classification data for forecasting virus risk in Scottish seed potatoes. NJF Report. 9(7):32-35.
Malloch G, Pickup J, Highet F, Foster S, Fenton B. 2012. A long term genotypic analysis of Scottish peach-potato aphids: what has happened to the braveheart clone? Proceedings Crop Protection in Northern Britain 2012. :243-248.
Pickup J, Fox A, Holmes R, Highet F, Davie K, Lacomme C. 2010. Potato viruses PVA and PVY - do they have the same aphid vectors? Proceedings Crop Protection in Northern Britain 2010. :219-224.
Pickup J, Davie K, Fox A, Highet F, Holmes R. 2009. Epidemiology of viruses in Scottish seed potatoes. Aspects of Applied Biology. 94, Potatoes, Viruses and their vectors:5-10.
Pickup J, Fox A, Highet F, Browning I. 2007. A study of the transmission of non-persistent potato viruses under Scottish conditions. EAPR Virology 2007, Abstracts of the 13th European Association for Potato Research Virology Section Meeting. :43.
Malloch G, Highet F, Kasprowicz L, Pickup J, Neilson R, Fenton B. 2006. Microsatellite marker analysis of peach–potato aphids (Myzus persicae, Homoptera: Aphididae) from Scottish suction traps. Bulletin of Entomological Research. 96(6):573-582.