For the 2024 funding year, This year, the Southern IPM Center received 32 proposals with total requested funds of $960,638. Out of those, we funded 11 projects, including five working groups, for a total of $340,152. Disciplines, some interdisciplinary, range from Human Health, Animal Health, Wildlife, Forestry, Entomology, Plant Pathology, and Weed Science.
The following projects were funded by the Southern IPM Center’s 2024 Southern IPM grants. Click on each one to expand their summaries.
For more details about a project, visit the Grants Management System.
2024 Working Groups
Funding Amount: $40,000
Lead PI: Rebecca Melanson, Mississippi State University
Co-PI: William M. Wintermantel, Research Plant Pathologist, USDA-ARS
Project Disciplines: Entomology & Plant Pathology
Cooperating States: Alabama, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Maryland, Michigan, Missouri, North Carolina, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia
The Emerging Viruses in Cucurbits Working Group (EVCWG), which includes members from all sectors of the cucurbit industry, including academia, government, and private industry, involved with research, production, Extension/outreach, and regulation, representing various areas of expertise and geographic regions has the mission “to improve communication and knowledge about viruses across the cucurbit industry and develop strategies to successfully identify and mitigate virus threats to cucurbit production in the United States.”
Since its establishment in 2022, the EVCWG has held working group meetings, identified priorities for key discussion topics, delivered educational presentations to stakeholders, and developed several educational resources, including a website.
The project objectives are (1) to deliver educational presentations to stakeholders (2) to create additional opportunities for stakeholder participation and education and (3) to develop educational resources. The overall goal of objectives is to improve awareness, identification, and management of existing and new viruses across the U. S. cucurbit industry.
Funding Amount: $39,992
Lead PI: Aaron Ashbrook, Louisiana State University
Co-PI: José Santos Portugal III, Mississippi State
Co-PI: Anamika Sharma, Florida A&M
Project Discipline: Entomology
Cooperating States: Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas
To best address the needs of termite management within the Southern US, a working group of urban entomologists and extension experts is required. The goals of this grant proposal are:
- To create a working group to address termite identification training needs and update species distribution maps for the Southern US, ultimately enhancing integrated pest management (IPM) practices in the region.
- Develop project outputs that train and assist target clients in identifying termites, enhancing integrated pest management capacity.
- Implement a trap-based termite alate survey during swarm season and specimen submission program in collaboration with pest management professionals, extension agents, and other interested groups to create a termite distribution maps for the Southern US, enabling proactive termite management in neglected areas. The trap survey will primarily focus on C. formosanus.
- Produce and distribute a state-specific and integrated identification guide for termite alates in the Southern US.
We anticipate to the following outputs from this working group: State specific and/or aggregated termite species identification guide (physical and digital), evaluations of target clientele’s ability to identify different termite species, termite collection protocols, termite distribution maps for the Southern Region, funding for grants, and a successful working group working to improve termite management in the Southern US. Greater awareness of termite management needs throughout the Southern US. Changes in knowledge resulting in improved termite soldier and alate identification in target clientele. Less failed or incorrectly filled out termite and wood destroying insect reports. Possible detection of invasive termite species or changes in termite distribution.
Funding Amount: $39,420
Lead PI: Geoffrey Williams, Auburn University
Project Disciplines: Entomology
Cooperating States: Alabama
The primary purpose of this work is to establish a working group of researchers and extension specialists focused on Integrated Pest Management (IPM) of Varroa destructor, an important parasitic mite of honey bees, which the SERA3 IPM group recognizes as an established issue and an IPM priority for the Southern region. Key activities of the working group will be to optimize Varroa treatments (e.g., for oxalic acid through capped winter brood monitoring) and to disseminate information on optimal treatment timing to beekeepers in the region, as well as to perform a needs assessment to identify priorities for future Varroa IPM research. By gathering regional research and extension professionals in online meetings and one in-person meeting, we will enhance the dissemination of research results that beekeepers can use to improve their management, and promote the planning of future collaborative research and extension efforts by synthesizing a list of regional research priorities.
Funding Amount: $10,000
Lead PI: Midhula Gireesh, University of Tennessee
Co-PI: Shimat Joseph, University of Georgia
Project Discipline: Entomology
Cooperating States: Georgia & Tennessee
The spotted lanternfly (SLF), Lycorma delicatula (White), is a non-native planthopper and was first detected in the United States in Pennsylvania in September of 2014. Since its initial detection, SLF has been confirmed in other states such as New Jersey, Virginia, Delaware, West Virginia, Maryland, Connecticut, New York, Ohio, Indiana, Massachusetts and North Carolina. In September 2023, The Tennessee Department of Agriculture has confirmed the detection of SLF in Tennessee.
This proposal is developed to form a working group of growers, pest management professionals, researchers, Extension specialists and agents, and industry partners to tackle SLF affecting economically to Specialty Crops in the Southeastern US. The goals are to identify research that most benefit the growers and Extension priorities, to coordinate research and outreach activities by researchers and growers, and to produce collaborative research and outreach products and grant proposals. Ultimately, our goal is to avoid duplication of efforts, and maximizing resource utilization and returns.
Funding Amount: $40,000
Lead PI: Yoosook Lee, University of Florida
Co-PI: Benjamin Thomas Allen, Mosquito Control Entomologist, City of Jacksonville, Florida
Co-PI: Lindsay P. Campbell, Campbell, Assistant Professor Entomology and Nematology, Florida Medical Entomology Laboratory | IFAS, University of Florida
Co-PI: Bryan Victor Giordano, Florida Medical Entomology Laboratory | IFAS, University of Florida & Broward County Mosquito Control Section, Pembroke Pines, FL
Co-PI: Elmer William Gray, University of Georgia & Georgia Pesticide Applicator and Consultant
Co-PI: Daniel Farrell Killingsworth
Co-PI: Claudia Riegel, City of New Orleans Mosquito, Termite and Rodent Control Board
Co-PI: Michael Thomas Riles, Central Life Sciences, Panama City Beach, Florida &
Florida Mosquito Control Association Dodd’s Short Courses
Project Disciplines: Entomology, Human Health, Wildlife
Cooperating States: Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Puerto Rico, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia
In the southern United States, several mosquitoes of medical and veterinary importance are invasive mosquito species, and their presence increases the risk of arbovirus transmission to humans and animals. Coordinated surveillance and control efforts across districts or states can reduce operation cost, resulting in more complete risk assessments, better use of mosquito control strategies, better estimates of mosquito diversity and abundance, and improve opportunities to detect new threats to public health safety.
Here, we propose the continuation of the working group – Mosquito BEACONS: Biodiversity Enhancement and Control of Non-native Species – with a goal of implementing an integrated pest management (IPM) approach for the monitoring and control of invasive mosquito species in the Southern Region. The objectives are to:
- Build capacity in IPM research and Extension priority areas through stakeholder meetings and collaborations.
- Build training and research resources on invasive mosquito species to fulfill the priority identified by stakeholders.
- Improve knowledge transfer through stakeholder engagement.
2024 Seed Projects
Funding Amount: $29,920
Lead PI: David Kerns, Texas A&M University
Co-PI: Peter C. Ellsworth, University of Arizona
Co-PI: Jane Breen Pierce, New Mexico State University
Project Discipline: Entomology
Cooperating States: Texas, Arizona, New Mexico
The southwestern corn borer Diatraea grandiosella (SWCB) is an historically significant pest of corn throughout the southern U.S. Putatively Bt resistant SWCB appear to be spreading in the southwestern U.S., and it is conceivable that Bt resistant alleles in SWCB in Arizona and New Mexico could move eastwardly into major southern corn production areas. It is vital to southern U.S. corn production that Bt resistant SWCB be characterized for resistance to the currently available Bt proteins utilized in corn for corn borer management. This research will potentially identify Bt proteins that are still efficacious, will aid in developing Bt resistance management plans, and will provide the information necessary to develop Extension bulletins and outreach presentations regarding managing Bt resistant SWCB. The data derived from the current proposal will lay the foundation for studies on cross-resistance, resistance inheritance (dominant or recessive, polygenic or monogenic), and the testing of homozygous and heterozygous resistant SWCB on current pyramided corn hybrids. Additionally, these resistant SWCB could be used in identifying resistance mechanisms and genes, allowing for development of rapid DNA-based resistance monitoring.
Funding Amount: $30,000
Lead PI: Coby Schal, North Carolina State University
Co-PI: Ronald Baynes, North Carolina State University
Co-PI: Rocio Crespo, North Carolina State University
Co-PI: Jenny Nicholds (Née Fricke), University of Georgia
Co-PI: Olivia Petritz, North Carolina State University
Co-PI: David Wesley Watson, North Carolina State University
Project Disciplines: Animal Science, Entomology, Human Health
Cooperating States: North Carolina & Georgia
The common bed bug (Cimex lectularius) is an emerging pest with significant impacts on poultry health, the economics of the production system, and worker safety and welfare. Poultry farms are highly vulnerable to bed bugs because (a) chickens represent an excellent blood host, (b) connectivity of houses facilitates the spread of infestations, (c) there are many hiding places in close proximity to the birds, (d) few ectoparasitic insecticides or drugs are available, most require that chickens not be present, and most bed bug populations are resistant to pyrethroids and other common insecticides, (e) chickens remain on the farm for many weeks, with short windows of opportunity to apply biosecurity and pest management measures, and (f) typical bed bug interventions are extraordinarily expensive and relatively ineffective in poultry farms. Frequent blood-feeding by bed bugs can cause stress, allergies, and anemia in birds. Thus, there is an urgent need to understand the frequency and severity of bed bug infestations in the SE, and to know what producers are doing to suppress them (Objective 1) and to innovate poultry-specific bed bug monitoring and management strategies (Objective 2).
The overall goal of this multi-state SIPMC Seed Grant is to develop effective, cost-effective, sustainable, and IPM-compatible solutions to eliminate bed bug infestations in poultry production.
Funding Amount: $29,997
Lead PI: Swati Shrestha, Oklahoma State University
Co-PI: Liberty B. Galvin, Oklahoma State University
Project Discipline: Weed Science
State: Oklahoma
Knowing the distribution of troublesome grass weeds and prevalence of herbicide resistance in these species is one of the fundamental steps in development of integrated weed control and resistance management strategies in wheat and small grains. However, the current science-based knowledge of the distribution of grass weeds and prevalence of herbicide resistance in Oklahoma wheat fields is inadequate to the best of our knowledge. In response to these knowledge gaps, this study aims to conduct scientific surveys of major wheat fields in Oklahoma and understand the distribution of grass weeds and herbicide resistant weed populations.
Funding Amount: $20,847
PI: Misbakhul Munir, University of Kentucky
Project Discipline: Plant Pathology
State: Kentucky
Nearly 10 years after reintroduction, hemp (Cannabis sativa, THC <0.3%) is settling into its intended markets: food, feed, and fiber. While the recent increase in acreage and cultivation can be a positive indicator for the US hemp industry, various challenges (e.g., diseases and pest problems) need to be addressed in order to preserve the positive trajectory of this relatively new industry. Currently, advanced disease management tools such as resistant cultivars, prediction models, and synthetic fungicides are either limited or nonexistent. Further, distribution of pests in the South is still not clearly understood. Growers also need information on how to manage these pests with currently available, albeit limited, resources. This project aims to 1) coordinate efforts to map the occurrence and distribution of diseases and arthropods pests on hemp in the southern states using Early Detection and Distribution Mapping System (EDDmapS); 2) develop educational materials (on-demand webinars) on common and priority pests documented by the Southern IPM Hemp Working Group.
Funding Amount: $30,000
Lead PI: Nupur Sarkar, Texas A&M University
Co-PI: Lina Bernaola, Texas A&M University
Project Discipline: Entomology
State: Texas
The invasive rice delphacid (RD), Tagosodes orizicolus, has emerged as a significant threat to rice farming in Texas, causing direct damage through feeding, leading to “hopper burn” and potential yield losses. The pest, native to Central and South America, also poses an indirect threat by transmitting the devastating Rice Hoja Blanca Virus (RHBV). The economic impact on rice growers has been substantial, with documented crop losses of up to 20% in 2015 and over 50% in 2022. Current pest management strategies, including insecticides, have shown limited effectiveness, and the lack of data on RD presence in Texas is a critical gap. The quick spread of RD demands an urgent attention to safeguard the economic viability of Texas rice industry and elsewhere. The project proposes focusing on research and collaboration with stakeholders.
First, a state-wide survey will be conducted in the Texas Rice Belt to understand the occurrence and distribution of RD. Simultaneously, host plant resistance will be investigated through preliminary variety selection assays to identify rice varieties resistant to RD. The project aims to reduce reliance on chemical insecticides and promote sustainable pest management strategies. Educational materials, including fact sheet and videos, will be developed and distributed to increase awareness among rice growers and extension agents about RD identification and management. Additionally, real-time alerts on RD population occurrence will be provided throughout the growing season to empower growers with timely information for decision-making.
Funding Amount: $29,976
Lead PI: Adam Dale, University of Florida
Project Disciplines: Entomology & Forestry
Coordinating States: Florida & Georgia
There has historically been disinvestment in the urban forest of economically distressed regions of cities compared to more economically prosperous areas. This has resulted in unequal canopy cover and access to the benefits trees provide. Recent investment and policies focus on mitigating this neglect with large-scale tree planting initiatives. However, due to the historical under-investment, new trees planted in economically distressed areas likely encounter conditions that predispose them to pest attack and reduced ecosystem service potential. Given that neighborhoods of reduced economic well-being are unlikely to invest more resources into their trees via pest management, pest outbreaks go unmanaged and trees decline. Thus, without proper planning and evidence-based guidelines, re-greening initiatives may fail to generate positive returns on investment and even perpetuate poor green infrastructure in historically neglected neighborhoods. A keystone of IPM is proper cultural management to set plants up for success with reduced inputs. In urban forests, this often means intentional and strategic plant selection and landscape design. In partnership with the City of Atlanta and a local NGO, we will conduct a series of evaluations to quantify insect pests and ecosystem services on trees installed over the past ten years in neighborhoods spanning a wide range of socioeconomic status.
Our overarching goals are to 1) quantify pest density and distribution on the five most commonly planted pest-susceptible urban tree species installed in the past ten years across metropolitan Atlanta; 2) determine if pest density and impacts vary by tree species and the local area’s level of economic distress; 3) quantify ecosystem service provisioning and potential for the most common urban tree species planted over the past ten years; and 4) generate educational resources and opportunities for practitioners and the public that help direct more successful and long-lived urban tree planting initiatives while ensuring equal exposure and access to neighborhood residents spanning economic distress levels.