Pests Beneficial Organisms Insect-Transmitted Diseases Management Options Other Resources Contact a Specialist Contact a Specialist Below is the list of the research and extension personnel involved in the USDA-NIFA grant project. For questions about the project or potato pest management in general, please contact either Andy Jensen (ajensen@potatoes.com) or Bill Snyder (wesnyder@wsu.edu). If we cannot help you, we will suggest the best person to contact. Principal Investigators William Snyder, the PI on the project, will Chair the annual meetings among researchers, extension specialists and the Grower Advisory Panel. Snyder will oversee collection of predators for molecular gut content analysis, and will guide (with the assistance of Pappu and Harwood) molecular identification of entomopathogens. He will serve on the committees of each of the PhD students on the project, as described below. David Crowder, Entomology, Washington State (Postdoctoral scholar), has a mathematics/modeling background, and will oversee development of the wireworm predictive model. Similar work from his PhD is detailed in his Biographical Sketch. Dave has an extensive background in mathematical ecology/pest modeling. Levan Elbakidze, Ag Economics, University of Idaho, will develop the economic risk assessment models. Previous experience in this area is detailed on his CV. Jessica Goldberger, Rural Sociology, Washington State University, will oversee the grower survey component. Jessica has significant expertise in getting growers to return surveys at a high rate, as detailed in her Biographical Sketch (and discussed in the Narrative). James Harwood, Entomology, University of Kentucky, is an expert on molecular gut-content analysis and has adopted the “DGGE” method to identify prey within predator guts without fore-knowledge of what prey relationships might be. James has published extensively on this topic, including several prominent review articles. James will oversee the molecular gut-content analyses, and will co-advise the U Kentucky PhD student with PI-Snyder. This student will visit Washington every summer to assist in field collections of predators. David Horton, USDA-ARS Wapato, has been working for many years on wireworm pests in potato and other crops. Dave developed the wireworm baits that will be deployed to sample these pests, and will oversee this aspect of the project. Randa Jabbour, Entomology, Washington State University (Postdoctoral scholar), completed her PhD in 2008 in the laboratory of Mary Barbercheck at Penn State, where she studied entomopathogens in the field. Randa will oversee the effort to field-sample entomopathogens. Key Personnel Andrew Jensen, Research Director, Washington State Potato Commission, has a PhD from Oregon State University (Entomology) and still regularly publishes on insect taxonomy as well as management of potato pests. Andy maintains the potatoes.com website, and will assist with our web design effort. Andy also will assist in lining up growers for the regional field sampling effort, and will Chair the Grower Advisory Panel. Peter Landolt, USDA-ARS Wapato, is an expert on chemical communication in Lepidoptera. He will assist in identification of lepidopteran pests of potato, and in measuring damage thresholds for the caterpillars and potato beetle. Joseph Munyaneza, USDA-ARS Wapato, has been working for many years on insect-vectored pathogens of several different types, across much of North America and the world. He was heavily involved in the original effort to identify the purple-top pathogen and vector. Joe will oversee the beet leafhopper control trials in Washington. Hanu Pappu, Plant Pathology, Washington State University, will oversee the use of PCR to identify plant pathogens in vector insects and also plant tissue. Hanu has extensive experience in this area. Keith Pike, Entomology, Washington State University-Prosser, has worked on aphids and aphid-vectored pathogens throughout much of his career, and will oversee the aphid-control trials in Washington. Silvia Rondon, Crop and Soil Science, Oregon State University, has a research/extension split appointment, and will oversee both the green peach aphid and beet leafhopper control trials at the Hermiston, OR, field site. Timothy Waters, Extension, Washington State University, will assist with regional sampling and in the organization and staffing of the field days. Carrie Wohleb, Extension, Washington State University, has recently taken over Keith Pike’s regional aphid monitoring network, and will oversee the regional sampling effort in WA and OR. She also will oversee development of the field day program. Richard Zack, Entomology, Washington State University, has expertise in taxomomy of Lepidoptera, and will assist in identifying lepidopteran pests of potato and measuring their impacts on yields, and also those of the Colorado potato beetle.