“Describing the Dixella (Diptera: Dixidae) Species Group Indiana and Dichotomous Key Construction”
“Describing the Dixella (Diptera: Dixidae) Species Group Indiana and Dichotomous Key Construction”
“Describing the Dixella (Diptera: Dixidae) Species Group Indiana and Dichotomous Key Construction”
Ph.D. student Katy Smith and Associate Professor Dr. Trout Fryxell collaborated with the Department of Agricultural & Resource Economics and recently published an article titled “Costs of Horn Fly (Diptera: Muscidae) Control for Cow-calf Producers in Tennessee and Texas, 2016” in the Journal of Economic Entomology. Horn flies (Haematobia irritans (L.)) are a common pests of livestock as they feed on the blood of their host 20 to 40 times per day. This article details the economic impact of managing this pest in both Southern states. To read the full article and find out more please visit here.
Pursuit of a Phylogenomically Informed Higher Classification and DNA Fingerprint Resources for the Meniscus Midges (Diptera: Dixidae)
Hoverflies are incredibly important pollinators. In many ways, they are the underdogs (underflies?) in the pollinating world as many mistake them for bees. They are experts of Batesian mimicry, acting as doppelgangers for wasps and bees in hopes of avoiding predators. Sometimes this mimicry is too uncanny, giving bees undue credit for the wonderful services these little critters provide. It’s quite easy to get the two confused, but as soon as the hoverfly takes flight and begins to “hover” in your face, you know you have the real deal. In addition to pollination, hoverflies also aid in pest management. Many of their larvae are predatory, eating other harmful pests that can damage our crops. They also recycle organic matter
Check out these photos of these hoverflies!
“Try not to become a man of success but rather to become a man of value.” -Albert Einstein
Abstract: Genome wide association studies, GWAS, are performed to determine potential associations between phenotypic (traits observed) data and genotypic (genome) data. Ipomoea batatas, sweetpotato, is a vital crop for combating both visible and invisible hunger, especially in sub-Saharan Africa. Understanding the genetic diversity of the sweetpotato germplasm and the genetic architecture underlying agronomic traits is crucial to maintenance and utility of the genetic resources for the crop’s improvement. We will perform a GWAS study to determine potential genes and genomic features associated with traits of interest including disease and pest resistance traits, culinary traits, phytonutritional traits, and morphological traits. We intend to determine potential genes of interests and functional markers for breeding programs.