Gypsy Moth Research Takes ‘Think Tank' Approach UNIVERSITY PARK, (Centre Co.) Contrary to the fictional adventures of the brilliant detec tive Sherlock Holmes, the more people you have working on an investigation, the better the results. That same thinking is what drives the scientists at the Gypsy Moth Research Center at Penn State to study the forest pest through the prism of their own expertise to gain a clearer image of what makes the insect function. “No one has the foggiest idea why the gypsy moth does what it does,” says Jack Schultz, professor of entomology in the College of Agricultural Sciences and head of the center. “The ability of this insect to go from populations that are very small to an outbreak of millions is one of the great myster ies of biology.” Working on that mystery are nine scientists in the department of entomology with wide-ranging areas of expertise. By sharing research and networking new dis coveries, this loosely organized group can not only clarify how the gypsy moth functions but also try to apply that new information to other insect applications. “High quality science seeks CORNELL UNIVERSITY ALFALFA VARIETY TRIAL Forage Yields Report for Trial B Seeded in 1992 Averaged Ova - 3 Locations: Livingston, St. Lawrence and Tompkins Counties Forage Yield T/A at 12% Moisture Brand Variety Mean Over All Locations Brand Variety 1994 1993 1993-1994 1994 1993-1994 pjONEER 5454 8.60 6.72 7.65 PIONEER 5454 644 633 AgVenture, Inc Benchmark 794 646 7.21 PIONEER 5262 626 610 DeKalb DK 122 786 6.12 699 Mycogen Multi-Plier 598 6.10 AgChem Inc/UAP ICI 645 7.85 6.04 695 Seedway Guardsman 609 6.10 Hentage Seeds Stetson 11+ 792 592 6.93 PIONEER 5373 615 604 DeKalb DK 133 748 6 35. 692 America’s Alfalfa Agressor 609 604 Jacques Multi-Plier 757 619 689 America’s Alfalfa Arrow 615 6 04 Seedway Guardsman 7 33 . 637 686 Dairyland Magnum 111-WET 609 604 Seedway & Wetsel Cimarron VR 755 615 685 Great Lakes Webfoot MPR 5.80 604 PL Rohrer/Helena Apollo Supreme 764 584 674 DeKalb DK 122 592 599 Servos Seed Magnum 111 Wet 738 612 674 DeKalb DK 133 592 5.93 Agway Majestic 718 622 670 Mycogen . Chief 592 587 Northrup King Multiking 1 738 601 670 W-L WL 322 HQ 598 587 PL Rohrer/Helena Arrow 744 5.89 6.68 Seedway Pinnacle 580 581 PIONEER 5373 7.37 5.95 665 Cornell Oneida* ' 5.86 5.81 Northampton Vector *7 26 602 6.64 Cornell Saranac AR* 563 570 Beachley-Hardy Prism 735 591 663 AgnPro Dominator 7.63 561 662 •check variety Agway Centurion 746 568 657 Beachley-Hardy WL 322 HQ 753 560 657 Trial Average 6.00 5.99 , * . Trial Average 7.61 6.09 6.85 DIHMCCD See Your Pioneer Sales Representative /00\ riUI¥CCIf * For More Information A* * 7 BRAND PRODUCTS V **»*w***»»%w*«. BiSOUIOS* ®, SM, TM Trademarks ind service marks, raglstirad or applied for, of PloiMtr Hl-Bred Intimatlonil, Inc. Das Moines, IA All sain an subject to tbt farms of laballng and aala documents O f 895 PHII generalization,” Schultz says. “The amount of collaboration that goes on at Penn State allows us to work on solutions that go from the molecular level to the landscape level. That kind of perspective is pretty unusual in entomology.” Schultz says banding together the research of nine scientists can get tricky, especially since the nature of science and academic reward is often tied to individual achievement. “The temptation is to always make your way in the scientific world by specializing,” Schultz explains. “We try to tap into peo ple’s desire to attack and solve complicated problems and make that into a teamwork philosophy.” The formation of the center at Penn State is particularly apt because the state’s hardwood for est is a prime target for the pest. “We are sitting right in the middle of a forest that is like candy for gypsy moths,” Schultz says. Although the group is called a research center, its members are as far-flung as, well, gypsy moths. Some of the team work in a labora tory away from central campus, and others have offices in the Agri cultural Sciences and Industry Yield leader • Proven superior winterhardiness Outstanding disease resistance package building. Schultz credits contem porary technology with keeping the group focused on its goals. “Electronic mail has helped us tremendously,” Schultz says. “At a large university, you can play tele phone tag for weeks without con tacting another researcher. With E mail, everybody has new informa tion in a matter of hours.” By keeping the center collabo rative, yet loosely structured, each' researcher also can pursue special ized interests. “I think people like to run their own show, but it’s cru cial to stick your head out of the gypsy moth mire and see what’s going on around you” Schultz says. For example, William McCarthy, associate professor of entomology and a molecular biologist, studies how pesticides attach to the gut of a gypsy moth. He often collabo rates with Schultz and Heidi Appel, a research associate in ento mology, to research wilt disease, a viral infection of gypsy moth caterpillars. Another collaborative effort between Michael Foster, research associate in entomology, and Michael Saunders, associate pro fessor of entomology, applies Fos- THE PENNSYLVANIA STATE UNIVERSITY FORAGE YIELD TRIAL Varieties Seeded in 1992 Landisville Research Station Forage Yield T/A at 12% Moisture Lancaster Farming, Saturday, February 11, 1995-817 ter’s expertise in computer and mathematical models for gypsy moth populations to Saunders’ work in computer systems for aer ial pesticide spraying. Another cooperative project by Karl Mierzejewski, research asso ciate in entomology, centers on improving the efficiency of pesti cide sprays. Data from his aerial tests also are used by Ralph Mumma, distinguished professor of environmental quality, to study the occurrence and persistence of pesticide residues. Schultz says the group divides its work into three categories: bio logical controls for gypsy moths, aerial application technology, and information management (telling landowners and others when to spray). The group’s work has also been used for applications other than ADSI g PAY OFF! | WEm—A A m. m m f " " “"CLIP & SAVE " . °ffering I V* FREE , . Barn Painting i The Most Permanent. | I How? By Proven I Combination of New & Old I Methods! I I A) New Solid stain for first 1/2 coat that penetrates permanently. ■ I B) High Performance enamel for second 1/2 coat - 1 can't peell . ■ C) Both sprayed & brushed, brushed & brushed, ■ 1 using the finest of bristles. _ 1. Controlling film placement & thickness | I accurately. m 2. Can't peel, can't flake off, almost permanent. J > 3. Less paint - less cost! Substantial difference, r? 5 4. On RESURFACED bam siding, stripped of old m ■ paint, etc! «, •0 5. 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For instance, the aerial spray group has used its work on penetrating the forest tree tops with pesticide to spraying broccoli. “Broccoli has a canopy too, but it’s only a foot off the ground,’’ Schultz explains. Schultz emphasizes that the research group’s work still can only add one piece at a time to a biological jigsaw puzzle that is largely unfinished. Such things as controlling an outbreak or even predicting a gypsy moth infesta tion are merely pipe dreams for the moment. “If I could predict a gypsy moth outbreak. I’d be a rich man,” Schultz says. “Everybody has their pet theo ries about gypsy moths,” he adds. “The difference at Penn State is that the person with the opposing theory is just down the hall instead of at another university.” KEN CLUGSTON (717) 665-6775 CRAFT-BELT CONSTRUCTION INC. 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