My research and extension program can be broadly characterized by three complimentary goals.  The first goal is to understand the biology, ecology and behavior of insect pests that attack vegetable crops in the region's agroecosystem.  Because many pests utilize habitats outside of vegetable fields or disperse among crops, the surrounding habitat and crops likely affect the location, intensity and dynamics of a pest's infestation within the vegetable crop.  Consequently, I have taken a landscape-level perspective for studying insect ecology.  Several recent projects have involved describing spatial and temporal patterns of insect pest dispersal in various vegetable cropping systems.  These dispersal studies have used traditional techniques for monitoring insect movement such as sticky cards and insect counts on plants.  However, I have recently used molecular bar coding to understand the genetics of insect pest populations.  Knowledge about insect pest dispersal and population dynamics and can be used to predict pest outbreaks, develop insecticide resistance management strategies, deploy trap crops and mitigate the spread of insect-transmitted viruses.  My second goal is to develop or refine management practices for vegetable insect pests by examining the efficacy of cultural and biological controls, resistant plants and novel insecticides.  In particular, I am interested in the role of administering bio-based insecticides through novel pesticide delivery systems such as seed treatments to control pests of onion, snap bean, dry bean, sweet corn and other vegetable crops.  Seed treatments are often safer to the user and environment than standard products and require much less active ingredient to control pests compared with more traditional delivery systems.  My third goal is to address the vegetable industry’s needs by solving problems and by delivering current pest management information generated from my research program.  Also, implementation of new insect pest management technologies and practices are critical for advancing vegetable IPM programs.

Outreach
North Street Elementary School Summer Science Camp
http://www.nysaes.cornell.edu/pp/summerscience/

Courses
Entomology 707/ Plant Pathology 419 - Diseases and Pests of New York Crops http://www.nysaes.cornell.edu/pp/pp419/

Memberships
Entomological Society of America
American Association for the Advancement of Science
Georgia Entomological Society 
Phi Kappa Phi (not active)

Honors and Awards

Assignments
Co-chair of the Cornell Vegetable Program Work Team (2006-present)

Caroline Boutard, M.S., Entomology, Cornell University, expected 2008
Francisco Badenes-Perez, Ph.D., Entomology, Cornell University, 2005
Benjamin Werling, M.S., Entomology, Cornell University, 2003
Sharon McDonald, Ph.D., Entomology, Virginia Tech, 2001

Publications:

• Nault, B. A., A.M. Shelton, J.L. Gangloff-Kaufmann, M.E. Clark, J.L. Werren, J.C. Cabrera-La Rosa, G.G. Kennedy.  2006.  Reproductive Modes in Onion Thrips (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) Populations from New York Onion Fields. Environ. Entomol. 35(5): 1264-1271 (view pdf)
• Nault, B. A., R. W. Straub and A. G. Taylor.  2006.  Performance of novel insecticide seed treatments for managing onion maggot (Diptera:  Anthoymiidae) in onion fields.  Crop Protection  25(1):  58-65. (view pdf)
• Werling, B. P., J. P. Nyrop and B. A. Nault.  2006.  Spatial and temporal patterns of onion maggot adult activity and oviposition within onion fields that vary in bordering habitat.  Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata.  118:  49-59. (view pdf)
• Shah, D., H. Dillard, S. Mazumdar-Leighton, D. Gonsalves and B.A. Nault.  2006.  Incidence, spatial patterns and associations among viruses in snap bean and alfalfa in New York.  Plant Disease. 90: 203-210. (view pdf)
• Musser, F. M., B. A. Nault, J. P. Nyrop and A. M. Shelton.  2005.  The impact of a glossy collard trap crop on adult movement, oviposition and larval survival of diamondback moth (Lepidoptera:  Plutellidae).  Entomologia Experimentalis et Applicata 117:  71-81. (view pdf)
• Badenes-Perez, F., A. M. Shelton and B. A. Nault.  2005.  Using yellow rocket as a trap crop for diamondback moth (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae).  J. Econ. Entomol.  98(3):  884-890.  (view pdf)
• Shah, D. A., H. R. Dillard and B. A. Nault.  2005. Sampling for the incidence of aphid-transmitted viruses in snap bean.  Phytopathology 95:  1405-1411. (view pdf)
• Nault, B. A., D. A. Shah, H. R. Dillard and A. C. McFaul.  2004.  Seasonal and spatial dynamics of alate aphid dispersal in snap bean fields in proximity to alfalfa and implications for virus management.  Environ. Entomol.  33(6):  1593-1601. (view pdf)
• Nault, B. A., A. G. Taylor, M. Urwiler, T. Rabaey and W. D. Hutchison.  2004.  Neonicotinoid seed treatments for managing potato leafhopper infestations in snap bean.  Crop Protection  23(1):  147-154. (view pdf)
• Shelton, A. M., B. A. Nault, J. Plate and J. –Z. Zhao.  2003.  Regional and temporal variation in susceptibility to lambda-cyhalothrin in onion thrips, Thrips tabaci (Thysanoptera:  Thripidae), in onion fields in New York.  J. Econ. Entomol.  96(6):  1843-1848. (view pdf)

Presentations:

1. Onion maggot management in onion (view pdf)
2. Onion thrips management in onion (view pdf)
3. Seedcorn maggot and potato leafhopper control in snap bean (view pdf)
4. Aphid ecology and epidemiology of cucumber mosaic virus in snap bean fields:  implications for management (view pdf)
5. Management of carrot insect pests (view pdf)