IPM & Biological Control of Agricultural, Urban & Forest Pests
The Department of Entomology has been a leader in developing research, extension, and teaching programs to address the pest management needs of diverse clientele in rapidly urbanizing areas. The combination of high population density and pesticide use raise concerns regarding the exposure to humans and non-target organisms in these environments. Moreover, the rapid development of residential property in within the Chesapeake Bay watersheds creates a need to find methods that will reduce inputs of pesticides and nutrients into homes, schools, landscapes, and recreational areas.
Entomology Department research and extension programs fall into several categories, and many projects involve experts in plant pathology, weed science, and nematology from the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, local government agencies, and the private sector. Results of these investigations are disseminated routinely to stakeholders, and the general public via farm tours, conferences, videos, and newsletters in partnership with local commodity groups and government agencies.
Pest Management
Entomology Department research and extension programs fall into several categories, and many projects involve experts in plant pathology, weed science, and nematology from the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, local government agencies, and the private sector. Results of these investigations are disseminated routinely to stakeholders, and the general public via farm tours, conferences, videos, and newsletters in partnership with local commodity groups and government agencies.
Pest Management
- Major emphasis is placed on pest management strategies for use in corn, soybeans, small grains, forage crops, vegetables, and beekeeping. With the introduction of transgenic crops, for example, Entomology Department faculty have taken a leadership role in evaluating benefits and potential uses of this new technology, assessing its potential impact on non-target organisms, and developing resistance management strategies. Other applied projects focus on control strategies for new and emerging pests, insecticide application strategies for reducing cost and selection pressure, monitoring and detection of pest resistance, biological control through conservation and landscape design, insecticide efficacy and environmental fate studies, and management of mite pests of honeybees.
- Basic research is ongoing in the areas of host plant resistance, plant-insect interactions, biology of new pest species, plant-mediated resistance, ecology and behavior of natural enemies, isolation of bioactive substances from microbial symbionts of insects, and the identification and incorporation of genes from entomopathogenic fungi into plants.
- The Entomology Department has a number of research projects that address the assorted needs of organic stakeholders. Organic crops face many challenges from insect, disease, and weed pests which cannot be met with conventional methods such as pesticides and genetically modified varieties. Maintaining soil quality and health and mitigating problems associated with crop pests are principal concerns of organic land managers.
- Entomology Department faculty and their collaborators investigate cover cropping, reduced tillage, trap cropping, and crop rotation techniques with the goal to improve the productivity, sustainability, and profitability of organic farms and those transitioning to organic production. Soil biodiversity, beneficial and pest arthropods, weed and weed seedbank densities are monitored to determine how different cultural practices impact organic cropping systems.
- Agricultural and urban pesticides have the potential for environmental contamination if proper application practices are not followed. Decreasing pesticide exposure can be accomplished through improving applicator education and formulation of sound policies. New and emerging problems such as development of pesticide resistance and human and environmental safety concerns also shape the direction of Entomology Department research and extension programs geared towards pesticide safety and education. The Entomology Department is one of the principal sources of training, educational materials, and programs for private and commercial pesticide applicators in the region.
Participating Faculty
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Karin Burghardt, Assistant Professor
PLS 4120A | [email protected] Research: Dr. Burghardt is an ecologist broadly interested in how plant defenses shape communities and ecosystems. Her research addresses this question through the lens of multiple trophic levels (plants, insects, birds, and microbes). New work will extend this understanding to fluxes and flows of nutrients as well. |
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Daniel Gruner, Associate Professor
PLS 4142 | 301-405-3957 | [email protected] Research: The Gruner Lab investigates species interactions in food webs, the maintenance of biodiversity in ecological communities, and community feedbacks with ecosystem function. Research in the Gruner Lab use arthropods in terrestrial ecosystems, but also includes soils and treetops, with organisms from nematodes to birds to herbaceous plants in both temperate and tropical regions. |
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Kelly Hamby, Associate Professor & Extension Specialist
PLS 3124 | 301-314-1068 | [email protected] Research: The Hamby Lab focuses on understanding insect interactions with free-living microorganisms to improve pest management, invasive and emerging insect pest issues, evaluating and optimizing pest management programs, development of sustainable alternative management tactics, and integrated Pest Management (IPM) in small fruit and grain crops. |
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David Hawthorne, Associate Professor & Director of Education at SESYNC
PLS 4132 | 301-405-2401 | [email protected] Research: The Hawthorne Lab uses population genetics to understand how insects become pests, how they evolve to counter control efforts, and how to use evolutionary thinking to manage them. Additionally, research in the Hawthorne Lab dissects the genetic basis of host-plant associated divides among pest populations and uses phylogeographic analyses to investigate issues in conservation genetics. |
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Cerruti Hooks, Associate Professor & Extension Specialist
PLS 4144 | 301-405-4728 | [email protected] Research: The Hooks Lab uses a trans-disciplinary research approach to (1) provide producers information needed to transition acreage from conventional to sustainable habitats, (2) teach small farmers sustainable practices and how to effectively market their crops, and (3) provide producers with information that gives them greater economical sustainability and confidence in transitioning land to organic production. |
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William Lamp, Professor
PLS 4138 | 301-405-3959 | [email protected] Research: The Lamp Lab studies the ecology of insects in the human environment, with projecting aligning with three broad fields: integrated pest management (IPM) of forage crops; understanding ecology of emerging insect pests; and implications of IPM and land use on invertebrates in streams and wetlands. |
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Paula Shrewsbury, Professor & Extension Specialist
PLS 3156 | 301-405-7664 | [email protected] Research: The overall focus of the Shrewsbury Lab is to identify methods to restore plant and insect community dynamics to create sustainable urban landscapes, nurseries, and turf systems, with an emphasis on biological control and conservation of natural enemies. The program also studies the ecology and management of invasive species in managed environments. |
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Raymond St. Leger, Professor
PLS 3120 | 301-405-5402 | [email protected] Research: Research in the St. Leger Lab primarily focuses on understanding the biochemistry and molecular biology of entomopathogenic fungi with the aim of using them as a source of innovation for the agricultural industries. Many studies in the St. Leger Lab have employed Metarhizium anisopliae as a model for understanding how fungi respond to changing environments, initiate host invasion, colonize insect tissues, and counter host immune responses. |
