Agriculture Commons^™

Identification And Characterization Of Epigenetic Regulators In The Yellow Fever Mosquito, Aedes Aegypti, Shankar C. R. R. Chereddy

Theses and Dissertations--Entomology

Due to the increased interactions between the sylvatic and urban cycles of Aedes aegypti life cycle, there has been an increase in the incidence of vector-borne diseases. The risk involved through the transmission of viruses like Dengue, Zika, Yellow-fever and Chikungunya calls for an effective control method for the deadly vector. The possibility of pesticide resistance and the costs involved in producing new pesticides have pushed Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) into prominence. However, current methods used to sterize insects for SIT are not highly efficient. This study tackles current issues in mosquito control by identifying and characterizing epigenetic regulators that …

Emerald Ash Borer (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) Host Expansion; Trading An Optimal Host For Enemy Free Space?, David G. Olson

Theses and Dissertations--Entomology

Emerald ash borer (EAB), Agrilus planipennis (Coleoptera: Buprestidae), is an aggressive invader from Asia that has killed millions of trees in North America. Recently EAB has been documented developing in a novel host, white fringetree, Chionanthus virginicus. I evaluated larval performance in two common ash species and white fringetree by infesting excised bolts with emerald ash borer eggs. In addition I evaluated several plant characteristics to determine which most influence larval development. I also conducted choice and no choice assays using the classical biological control agent, Tetrastichus planipennisi (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae), to assess its ability to locate larval EAB in …

Impact Of Selected Integrated Pest Management Techniques On Arthropods In Cucurbit Production Systems, Amanda R. Skidmore

Theses and Dissertations--Entomology

Cucurbits (i.e. squash, melons, pumpkins, gourds) are high value crops of global importance. Insect pests in these systems are often controlled by chemical insecticides, which are not always effective and can be damaging to the environment. Many integrated pest management (IPM) techniques have been developed for the control of pests in these systems, with a goal of improving system stability and reducing chemical inputs. The overarching goal of my research was to investigate the impact of select IPM techniques on arthropod populations and yield in organic and conventional cucurbit systems.

This dissertation can be divided into three major projects which …

Spatial And Temporal Dynamics Of Predator-Prey Interactions In Winter Wheat, Katelyn A. Kowles

Theses and Dissertations--Entomology

Aphids (Hemiptera: Aphididae) are pests of multiple cropping systems, primarily due to the viruses they vector and direct crop damage that is exacerbated by their rapid population growth. In Kentucky, grain aphids (Rhopalosiphum padi and Sitobion avenae) cause significant yield loss to winter wheat as vectors of Barley Yellow Dwarf virus (BYDV), prompting the routine application of insecticides. Coupled with increasing human populations and decreasing arable land, it is increasingly evident that biological control services provided by natural enemies represent a viable long-term management option. Aphids are preyed upon by a diverse array of predators that can be …

A Comparative Study Of Eastern And Western North American Populations Of Hippodamia Convergens (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), Joshua S. Mccord

Theses and Dissertations--Entomology

Hippodamia convergens is a widely distributed insect predator in the United States and parts of Canada and Mexico. Several insectaries collect overwintering adults from aggregation sites in the Rocky Mountains during their winter dormancy. Collected beetles are then sold throughout the United States for augmentative biological control. This practice could have negative impacts on local populations of Hippodamia convergens in the Eastern United States. Intra-specific variation among H. convergens populations was examined for two characteristics of adults: photoperiodic induction of diapause and the presence of three known male-killing endosymbiont bacteria; Wolbachia, Spiroplasma, and Rickettsia. Four populations of H. …