John Diaz-Montano

Telephone: (607) 255 4404
email: jd325@cornell.edu

I am graduate student working with Anthony Shelton. My research project is aimed to find onion resistance to onion thrips (Thrips tabaci Lindeman), and to study the role of onion thrips as a vector of Iris yellow spot virus (IYSV). This research program will involve onion host plant resistance not only to onion thrips but also to IYSV, and also onion thrips behavioral studies. Understanding the behavior of onion thrips may help to explain the pattern of infection and spread of IYSV in the field allowing the development of new approaches for management of the complex interaction between onion thrips and IYSV.

Doo Hyung Lee

Telephone: (607) 255 4404
email: dl343@cornell.edu

Anuar Morales

Telephone: (315) 787-2475
email: am434@cornell.edu

I am a Masters student working with Dr. Daniel Peck in the Soil Insect and Turfgrass Entomology Laboratory.  My research is on biological control of white grubs such as European Chafer (EC), Japanese Beetle (JB), Oriental Beetle (OB), and Asiatic Garden Beetle (AGB).  These species are the most important pests of turfgrass on golf courses, parks, and home lands in the Northeast United States.  I am focusing on identifying interactions between two neonicotinoid insecticides with three different groups of entomopathogens: bacteria, fungi, and nematodes for a curative control of these insect pests.  My goal through this research is to offer a biologically-based alternative to the curative control of white grubs in turfgrass systems.  This new alternative of control will reduce our dependency on chemical insecticides and may be used as a model in other agricultural systems.

Masanori Seto

Telephone: (315) 787-2313
email: ms545@cornell.edu

I am working with Dr. Daniel Peck at Cornell University / New York State Agricultural Experiment Station (NYSAES). In my Ph.D. research, I am studying the spatial ecology and biology of the annual bluegrass weevil, Listronotus maculicollis. a major insect pest of highly maintained turfgrass in the Northeast United States. To understand when and where the insects can be targeted with control tactics, my particular focus is on interpreting the biological and environmental factors that regulate their overwintering behavior, feeding behavior and habitat selection.

NYS IPM fact sheets – Annual Bluegrass Weevil
http://nysipm.cornell.edu/factsheets/turfgrass/default.asp

Erik Smith

Telephone: (315) 787-2423
email: eas56@cornell.edu

I am a M.S. student working with Dr. Brian Nault.  My research is focused on understanding how onion thrips (Thrips tabaci) impact the epidemiology of Iris Yellow Spot Virus (IYSV) in New York onion fields.  More specifically, I will be identifying potential overwintering hosts for the virus and determining weed species that are sources for the virus and for thrips.  When an insect vector and a pathogen work in tandem to exploit a crop, pest control gains a degree of complexity.  A better understanding of the pest-host interactions in this system will help us devise more effective and sustainable management strategies.

Xiaozhao Song

Telephone: (315) 787-2475
email: xs39@cornell.edu

I am a graduate student working with Dr. Ping Wang. I am interested in the biochemistry of important physiological functions of the insect midgut. My research project aims to understand the insect defense mechanism against potentially insecticidal cysteine proteases in host plants, in order to better understand insect-plant interactions. I am using an herbivorous generalist insect, the cabbage looper, Trichoplusia ni, to study the biochemical basis of the interaction of the insect midgut with plant cysteine proteases. I am focusing my studies on a putative cysteine protease inhibiting factor recently identified in our laboratory.