Currently Funded Projects

Dr. David Smitley, Michigan State University, $29,000, 3 year project
 
Other Project Team Members -
Mamy Rakotondravelo, PhD. Student, Michigan State University

Executive Summary
It appears that the nicotinoid insecticides will soon dominate the insecticide market for the
greenhouse industry in North America. Imidacloprid (Marathon) is already the most heavily used
insecticide product by greenhouse growers, and in 2005, five new [...]

Dr. Lance Osborne, University of Florida, $25,000, 1 year project
 
Executive Summary
Thrips cause serious economic losses in many agricultural systems each year including vegetables and ornamentals. Although there are a number of thrips species attacking greenhouse floriculture crops, western flower thrips (Frankliniella occidentalis) is the predominate species causing economic losses. Scirtothrips dorsalis is a new invasive [...]

Dr. Frank Byrne, University of California-Riverside, $15,000, 2 year project
 
Other Project Team Members -
Mr. James Bethke, Floriculture Farm Advisor, UCCE San Diego
 
Executive Summary
Insecticide resistance is one of the major problems associated with the effective control of the whitefly Bemisia tabaci.  The problem is compounded by the existence of several biotypes of this pest, each with [...]

Dr. Kevin Heinz, Texas A & M University and Dr. Michael Parrella, University of California Davis,
$50,000, 3 year project
 
Other Project Team Members -
Jose Ricardo Cure, Professor, University Militar Nueva Granada, Bogota, Colombia
Luz Estrela Fuentes, Researcher, Hort. Research Center, Univ. Jorge Tadeo, Lozana, Chia-Colombia
Fernando Cantor, Professor, University Militar Nueva Granada, Bogota, Colombia
Rebecca Lee, Director of Colombian [...]

Dr. Raymond Cloyd, University of Illinois, $20,000 1 year project
 
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The continual use of insecticides in horticultural cropping systems such as greenhouses has resulted in concerns associated with the difficulties of controlling insect pests due to resistance developing in insect pest populations, which has reduced the effectiveness of currently available insecticides. In addition, there are [...]

Luis Canas, Ohio State University, $18,000, 2 year project
 
Executive Summary
Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) is the type member of the plant-infecting viruses in the genus Tospovirus of the family Bunyaviridae. Virions are 80-120 nm pleomorphic particles with surface projections composed of two viral glycoproteins G N and Gc (Figure 1). 
TSWV is transmitted by at least [...]

Thomas German, University of Wisconsin, $18,000, 1 year project
 
Executive Summary
Tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) is the type member of the plant-infecting viruses in the genus Tospovirus of the family Bunyaviridae. Virions are 80-120 nm pleomorphic particles with surface projections composed of two viral glycoproteins G N and Gc (Figure 1). 

TSWV is transmitted by at [...]