Project Objectives

Organizational Chart

organization chart

Research Objectives

Objective 1

  • Executive Coordinator & Lead Investigator: Nick Mills
  • Secondary Investigators: Elizabeth Beers, Peter Shearer, Tom Unruh, Dave Horton, Steve Castagnoli
  • Overview: Evaluate the sub-lethal effects of newer pesticides on key natural enemies in laboratory assays, and in apple, pear and walnut orchards.

Objective 2

  • Executive Coordinator & Lead Investigator: Vince Jones
  • Secondary Investigators: Nick Mills, Dave Horton, Peter Shearer
  • Overview: Characterize the phenology of key natural enemies, including timing of emergence from overwintering quarters, onset of entry into orchards in the spring, and development of spring and summer generations.

Objective 3

  • Executive Coordinator & Lead Investigator: Vince Jones
  • Secondary Investigators: Nick Mills, Dave Horton, Peter Shearer
  • Overview: Evaluate HIPVs as a method for monitoring natural enemy presence, abundance and phenology; assess their use as biomarkers to optimize management programs, and compare sampling efficacy to traditional sampling methods.

Objective 4

  • Executive Coordinator: Vince Jones
  • Lead Investigator: Tom Unruh
  • Secondary Investigators: Nick Mills, Peter Shearer, Elizabeth Beers
  • Overview: Develop methods in gut contents analysis to monitor predation of codling moth by generalist natural enemies, and confirm gut contents results using video monitoring.

Objective 5

  • Executive Coordinator: Jay Brunner
  • Lead Investigator: Karina Gallardo
  • Secondary Investigators: Tom Unruh
  • Overview: Conduct economic analyses to determine the long-term costs associated with IPM programs with and without various levels of biological control.

Objective 6

  • Executive Coordinator: Jay Brunner
  • Lead Investigator: Jay Brunner, Jessica Goldberger
  • Secondary Investigators: Input from entire investigative team
  • Overview: Survey clientele to identify optimal ways for presenting information that will lead to quicker adoption of new technologies and synthesize existing and new information to provide real-time support for pest control decisions by growers and pest managers.