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“Sustainable – Organic” Cropping
Systems
Current projects include:
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The development of year-round trap crop systems to manage the four
main species of stink bugs and leaffooted bugs in any type of crop
production system including homeowners.
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The improvement of stink bug detection and monitoring methods.
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The improvement of weevil detection and monitoring methods.
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The attraction and enhancement of natural enemies of stink bugs and
other arthropod pests.
Nursery Crop Production
There are several ongoing projects
that address important aspects of IPM of woody landscape arthropod pest
management.
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Organic Transition Program
Grant: Mizell, R., G. Knox, T. Hewitt, T. Momol, A. Bolques. 2002-2004.
Organic nursery production: development and demonstration. Our
objectives are to grow and market nursery plants using certified organic
methodology to develop alternative markets for nursery crops as well as
new management techniques for conventional nursery production.
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The Asian ambrosia beetle,
Xylosandrus crassiusculus, is an invasive species that is a major
pest of woody landscape trees in spring. Questions concerning the
behavior, biology and management of this species are being addressed
with several innovative techniques.
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American sycamore,
Platanus occidentalis, is an important shade tree in the landscape
due to its rapid growth. It is attacked by many diseases and insects.
Sycamore lace bug, Corythucha ciliata, is an important pest whose
feeding damage causes the leaves to turn brown. Sycamore lace bug
populations reach high numbers in late July and August in north
Florida/south Georgia and make the trees very unsightly. We are
presently evaluating, in cooperation with a major timber company, the
potential for host plant resistance in sycamores with various lineages.
We are also investigating the vectors of sycamore leaf scorch caused by
the bacterium, X. fastidiosa (see below under glassy-winged
sharpshooter). More.....
Pierce's Disease/Glassywinged
Sharpshooter
Dr. Peter C. Andersen, Brent Brodbeck and
I (and current support staff) have been investigating for over 20 years
the feeding behavior, nutrition and biology of the leafhopper vectors of
Xylella fastidiosa, the causal agent of Pierce’s disease of grape,
plum leaf scald and phony peach disease. We have received a number of
grants to support our research. The most recent one is with colleagues in
Puerto Rico to investigate the occurrence of leafhopper vectors there.
Dr. Drion Boucias and I are evaluating the pathogens associated with the
leafhoppers for potential biological control.
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Andersen, P. and R. Mizell. 2002-2005.
Xylella fastidiosa in leafhoppers and plants in Puerto Rico.
T-STAR
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Mizell, R. and P. Andersen. 2003-2005.
Population dynamics and intereactions of glassy-winged sharpshooter and
its host plants in response to California phenology. CDFA.
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Mizell, R. and D. Boucias. 2002-2004.
Mycopathogens and their exotoxins infecting glassy-winged sharpshooter:
survey, evaluation and storage. UC-Davis Pierce=s
Disease Research Program.
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Boucias, D and R. Mizell. 2004-2006.
Manipulations of Hirsutella as a Biological Control of Glassy-winged
Sharpshooter, Homalodisca coagulata. CDFA-Pierce's Disease
Research Program.
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Mizell, R. and P. Andersen. 2004-2005.
Effects of Juvenile Hormone Analaogs on Survival and Reprepductive
Status of the Glassy-winged Sharpshooter, Homalodisca coagulata.
CDFA-Pierce's Disease Research Program Special Grant.
More.....
Peach Pest Management:
Peaches are one of the most nutritious foods available and
once were an important crop in Florida. They still have much potential as
a crop but are attacked by many arthropod and disease pests. Currently, I
have projects (also see insect-plant-disease interactions above) looking
at several aspects of the biology, behavior and management of peach
insects including plum curculio and stink bugs. With colleagues in Georgia
and the USDA,ARS, the use of nematodes as biological control agents of
plum curculio is being investigated.
I am also developing a queriable database on the
Curculionoidea (weevils and relatives) along with investigating new weevil
monitoring methods. That work is funded through a TSTAR grant. Dr.
Stephanie Bloem is a cooperator on the weevil research and has led the
database development along with other colleagues.
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Sherm, H., et. al. 2004-2007. Advancing Integrated Pest Management
and Reducing Pesticide Risk in Eastern Peaches. USDA-RAMP, $1.1
mil, FL
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Mizell, R. 2002-2005. ACCESS-Curculionoidea: A Weevil Database
Supporting IPM and Regulatory Decisionmaking T-STAR.
Biological Control:
I am interested in the use and manipulation of biological control
agents to suppress pests in crops. I have several ongoing projects that
address various aspects of the behavior and biology of generalist
arthropod predators.
Special Pest Problems:
I am interested in addressing arthropod related problems that
affect man and animals which present difficult barriers and require novel
solutions, e.g., great challenges that require imagination, creativity and
ingenuity. One of my success stories involves combating deer flies (Chrysops
spp.) as pests of man and pets. See
http://extlab1.entnem.ufl.edu/PestAlert/deerfly.htm for the details.
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