Four UC Davis Entomologists Involved in $36.5 Million Federal Grant

From UC Davis:

Four entomologists with the UC Davis Department of Entomology and Nematology are among those who will share in the newly announced $36.5 million federal grant program for specialty crops.

Integrated pest management (IPM) specialist Frank Zalom, distinguished professor of entomology, and Extension entomologist Larry Godfrey, who specializes in IPM field and vegetable crops—are involved with the $3.7 million grant, “Management of Brown Marmorated Stink Bug in U.S. Specialty Crops,” submitted by North Carolina State University, Raleigh.

Extension apiculturist Elina Niño, faculty director of the Häagen-Dazs Honey Bee Haven, and Christine Casey, staff director of the haven, are part of a successfully funded grant submitted by Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick. The $2.8 million grant is titled "Protecting Pollinators with Economically Feasible and Environmentally Sound Ornamental Horticulture." The haven is a half-acre bee friendly garden located next to the Harry H. Laidlaw Jr. Honey Bee Research Facility.

U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced that 19 grants, funded through the USDA's National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) Specialty Crop Research Initiative, will support American farmers growing fruits and vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, horticulture and nursery crops including floriculture. Specialty crops cover most crops other than the large acreage commodity crops. The initiative is authorized by the 2014 Farm Bill.

Others from UC working on the brown marmorated stink bug project are:

• Cooperative Extension Specialists: Kent Daane, UC Berkeley, and Mark Hoddle, UC Riverside
• Farm Advisors: Monica Cooper, Napa County, and Chuck Ingels, Sacramento County
• Area IPM Advisors: Emily Symmes, Butte County; Shimat Joseph, Monterey County; and Jhalendra Rijal, Stanislaus County

The stink bug project is a continuation of a multi-state project that has included a specific objective on options that are compliant with the National Organic Program standards.

“This is a very common invasive insect in Sacramento and other urban areas but has not widely infested agricultural areas,” Godfrey said. “Based on what the insect has done in the mid-Atlantic states in the East, everyone expects it to invade crop areas. The grant is not crop specific, other than specialty crops which is about all of the crops we grow in California--except (primarily) rice, corn and cotton. We will be studying how this pest adapts to California conditions and crops and also studies will be done on the fit of biological control for managing this pest. Clearly some of our major crops such as grapes, almonds--and other nut crops--tomatoes, cool-season vegetables, stone fruits, etc. will be subjects of research.”

The Rutgers-based grant, involving Niño and Casey, "includes several components to develop ornamental horticulture production practices that are compatible with bee health," Casey said. "Our work will be to determine the preference of common bee species for widely sold ornamental plants." The project will build on the research of Gordon Frankie, UC Berkeley professor and Robbin Thorp, distinguished emeritus professor of entomology at UC Davis.

"America's specialty crop farmers face many challenges ranging from a changing climate to increasing production costs,” said Vilsack in a recent press release. “Investing in cutting edge research helps uncover solutions to keep their operations viable and ensures Americans have access to safe, affordable and diverse food options. The universities, state departments of agriculture and trade associations that partner with USDA address challenges at the national and local levels to help sustain all parts of America's food and agriculture system, whether the farms are small or large, conventional or organic."

Through the Specialty Crop Research Initiative, the projects will address research and extension needs that span the entire spectrum of specialty crops production from researching plant genetics to improving crop characteristics; identifying and addressing threats from pests and diseases; improving production and profitability; developing new production innovations and technologies; and developing methods to respond to food safety hazards.

Image via Pixabay.