Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist
Tree Fruit Entomology Program
Michigan State University
I am an applied ecologist with 20+ years of research and extension experience in a variety of fruit and vegetable cropping systems. My interest in interdisciplinary applied research is a result of graduating with degrees in Horticulture (B.S.), Plant Pathology (M.S.), and Entomology (Ph.D.) from Michigan State University. For the last ten years, my applied research and extension program has depended on multidisciplinary collaborations with a focus on monitoring and managing dynamic pest complexes, orchard pollinator health, impacts of climate change and the potential for climate mitigation in orchard systems.
As of May 1st 2022, I am an Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist in the Department of Entomology at Michigan State University, where I lead an applied research program dedicated to the study of pest and beneficial arthropods associated with temperate tree fruit cropping systems. We harness the tools of chemical and behavioral ecology, developmental and environmental modeling, landscape ecology, and plant-insect interactions to better understand arthropod communities and population dynamics in the context of climate change and invasive species in the Great Lakes region. My extension program is dedicated to improving and implementing arthropod best management practices in support of the long-term sustainability of the Michigan tree fruit industry.
As of May 1st 2022, I am an Assistant Professor and Extension Specialist in the Department of Entomology at Michigan State University, where I lead an applied research program dedicated to the study of pest and beneficial arthropods associated with temperate tree fruit cropping systems. We harness the tools of chemical and behavioral ecology, developmental and environmental modeling, landscape ecology, and plant-insect interactions to better understand arthropod communities and population dynamics in the context of climate change and invasive species in the Great Lakes region. My extension program is dedicated to improving and implementing arthropod best management practices in support of the long-term sustainability of the Michigan tree fruit industry.
Current Research & Extension Projects
IPM of spotted wing drosophila (SWD) in tart cherries. This project includes exploring attract and kill methods (with J. Huang), a survey for native and exotic parasitoids and rearing and release of the parasitoid Ganaspis brasiliensis (with J. Huang, N. Rothwell, M. Szucs and R. Isaacs).
IPM of brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB) in orchards. This project includes trapping and behavioral studies of BMSB on apples and monitoring and augmentative releases of the parasitoid Trissolcus japonicus (with M. Szucs).
Behavior and chemical ecology of San Jose scale mating disruption (MD) in apple and sweet cherry. The goal of this project is to explore a pesticide alternative for a key apple pest that also affects a variety of cultivated and wild hosts (with J. Huang). We are also interested in cascading effects of pheromone-mediated MD on beneficial insects that play a role in biological control.
Apple replant project at the MSU Clarksville Research Center. The goal of this project is to evaluate pre-plant practices and a resistant rootstock to determine how those affect soil health and tree vigor in an experimental orchard renovation (with T. Einhorn, M. Quintanilla, H. Chung, A. Irish-Brown, and G. Sundin).
Orchard resiliency and climate mitigation. For this project, we are 1) evaluating native grasses in orchard row middles for increased carbon sequestration and better soil health, 2) evaluating pest management practices as they relate to carbon usage, and 3) using eddy covariance to measure greenhouse gas fluxes associated with orchards in Michigan (with K. Postma, A Koyama, T. Einhorn, M. Gammons, A. Wallis).
Promoting pollinator stewardship in orchards. This work includes translating what we have learned about wild and managed bees in orchard systems into promoting best practices for pollinator health and pollination services (with A. Heck and the Honey Bee Health Coalition Bee Integrated Demonstration Project).
IPM of brown marmorated stink bug (BMSB) in orchards. This project includes trapping and behavioral studies of BMSB on apples and monitoring and augmentative releases of the parasitoid Trissolcus japonicus (with M. Szucs).
Behavior and chemical ecology of San Jose scale mating disruption (MD) in apple and sweet cherry. The goal of this project is to explore a pesticide alternative for a key apple pest that also affects a variety of cultivated and wild hosts (with J. Huang). We are also interested in cascading effects of pheromone-mediated MD on beneficial insects that play a role in biological control.
Apple replant project at the MSU Clarksville Research Center. The goal of this project is to evaluate pre-plant practices and a resistant rootstock to determine how those affect soil health and tree vigor in an experimental orchard renovation (with T. Einhorn, M. Quintanilla, H. Chung, A. Irish-Brown, and G. Sundin).
Orchard resiliency and climate mitigation. For this project, we are 1) evaluating native grasses in orchard row middles for increased carbon sequestration and better soil health, 2) evaluating pest management practices as they relate to carbon usage, and 3) using eddy covariance to measure greenhouse gas fluxes associated with orchards in Michigan (with K. Postma, A Koyama, T. Einhorn, M. Gammons, A. Wallis).
Promoting pollinator stewardship in orchards. This work includes translating what we have learned about wild and managed bees in orchard systems into promoting best practices for pollinator health and pollination services (with A. Heck and the Honey Bee Health Coalition Bee Integrated Demonstration Project).