If you want to learn more about strawberry pests, don't miss this UC Davis Department of Entomology and Nematology seminar.
UC Davis doctoral alumnus Mohammad Amir Aghaee, the entomology program leader at the California Polytechnic University Strawberry Center, will discuss "Berries vs Bugs: Challenges in Integrated Pest Management in California Strawberry Production" at 12:10 p.m., Wednesday, April 8 in 122 Briggs. It also will be on Zoom. The Zoom link: https://ucdavis.zoom.us/j/95882849672.
"Lygus bugs, spider mites, and spotted-wing drosophila (SWD) are important economic arthropod pests of strawberries," Aghaee says in his abstract. "Lygus bug feeding causes fruit distortion which makes the product unmarketable for fresh produce. Damaging levels of lygus, spider mites, and SWD threat yield and production. Insecticides and miticides are standard tools used to manage these pests. However, chemicals applied against these pests are plagued by resistance development in both target and non-target pests and the reduction of natural enemies that regulate both. Judicious use of insecticides and miticides is a crucial component of integrated pest management (IPM)."
"Growers," he points out, "need updated information on whether these products are effective when applied correctly, what impact they have on non-target arthropods, including natural enemies, and whether there are potential replacement products that agrichemical companies are developing that may be useful for IPM programs. Technologies such as bug vacuums, UV_C, and improving predatory mite releases are important chemical alternatives in California strawberry production."
Aghaee, who joined the Cal Poly Strawberry Center in December of 2023, writes on his LinkedIn site: "In collaboration with plant pathology and the automation teams, I lead the entomological research program at the Strawberry Center. I focus on growers' needs in the field, work with industry, apply IPM principles, and find solutions to common or new challenges within the strawberry industry. I also contribute to the social media team in my role."
He contributes to the Strawberry Center entomology blog.
Aghaee earlier served as a scientist for Bayer Crop Science (2018 to 2023) where he "managed and executed field trials testing novel insecticidal traits in soy, corn, and cotton, modifying testing methods to improve validity of test outcomes, delivering results to project field entomologists, and applying creative solutions to challenges that arise in insectary workflow."
Aghaee, who grew up in the East Bay, received his bachelor's degree in environmental sciences, genetics and plant biology in 2010 from UC Berkeley, with high distinction. He obtained two degrees from UC Davis: his master's of science degree in entomology in 2012, and his doctorate in 2015, focusing on integrated pest management. His dissertation involved the management of rice weevils, Lissorhoptrus oryzophilus; he studied with Extension entomologist Larry Godfrey (1956-2017).
“Mohammad took on a very difficult project for his dissertation research,” Godfrey said in 2015. "The challenges arose not only from working in the rice system--wading through mud for hours--but also from working with this insect that cannot be reared in the laboratory and which has one generation per year. Therefore, all the field studies had to be conducted within the short window of time each year.”
A major highlight of his graduate studies at UC Davis was receiving the John Henry Comstock Student Award from the Pacific Branch, Entomological Society of America (PBESA), which encompasses 11 Western states, parts of Mexico and Canada, and U.D. territories.
Other highlights during his doctoral studies at UC Davis: He captained the UC Davis debate team that won the ESA championship in 2013 and 2014. He anchored the UC Davis debate and Linnaean Games teams for four years, from 2011 to 2014. The UC Davis Linnaean Team (now the Entomology Games) won the PBESA championship in 2012.
After receiving his PhD, he served as a postdoctoral researcher at North Carolina State University, Raleigh.
For any technical zoom issues, contact coordinator Marshall McMunn, assistant professor, at msmcmunn@ucdavis.edu.