Grant Information
| Knowledge Area | Subject of Investigation | Field of Science | Percent |
|---|---|---|---|
| 215 - Biological Control of Pests Affecting Plants | 2110 - Ornamental trees and shrubs | 1130 - Entomology and acarology | 20% |
| 211 - Insects, Mites, and Other Arthropods Affecting Plants | 2122 - Potted plants | 1130 - Entomology and acarology | 15% |
| 211 - Insects, Mites, and Other Arthropods Affecting Plants | 920 - Orange | 1130 - Entomology and acarology | 15% |
| 216 - Integrated Pest Management Systems | 1460 - Tomato | 1130 - Entomology and acarology | 15% |
| 216 - Integrated Pest Management Systems | 910 - Grapefruit | 1130 - Entomology and acarology | 15% |
| 211 - Insects, Mites, and Other Arthropods Affecting Plants | 1499 - Vegetables, general/other | 1130 - Entomology and acarology | 10% |
| 215 - Biological Control of Pests Affecting Plants | 1429 - Cucurbits, other (includes pumpkin, squash, gourd) | 1130 - Entomology and acarology | 10% |
Synthesize and provide combinatorial libraries that will be used by USDA ARS U.S. Horticultural Research Laboratory researchers in psyllid artificial diet bioassays.
This project is related inhouse project objective 3b: Develop novel control methods based on disrupting key processes in pest biology. Second round screening of peptides that blocked Asian citrus psyllid (ACP) feeding using an artificial diet bioassay have led to verification of peptide pools from a combinatorial library that have a significant effect on both ACP feeding and survival. Work is continuing to identify the active peptides within these pools. Furthermore, specific proteins were shown to block Asian citrus psyllid feeding on citrus leaves when these proteins were applied to the surface of the leaf before psyllid feeding was initiated.