Dr. Kevin Moulton
“Try not to become a man of success but rather to become a man of value.” -Albert Einstein
“Try not to become a man of success but rather to become a man of value.” -Albert Einstein
“Nothing is to be feared, only understood.” -Marie Curie
Did you miss November’s Mic/Nite? See videos of the great PechaKucha-style talks by faculty discussing their research and join us at the next Mic/Nite on March 11. Access the videos and register for the next event at micnite.utk.edu.
Dr. Jennifer Tsuruda will be presenting a seminar for Plant Sciences titled “Apiculture and pollinators outreach in Tennessee”
“Plant pathology is applied botany that improves the lives of people.”
It is with deep sorrow we announce that we lost one of our own Nov. 20th, 2019. Before Russ (pictured left) worked for us, he was a part of the TN Department of Agriculture and primarily worked on cyst nematodes. He then happily moved onto our department and worked with all crops but had expertise on corn, soybean, and stored grain. When he wasn’t working, he was either messing with Ham radios or volunteering for the Madison County Sheriff’s Department. He eventually retired from our UT Extension Service and became a member of our Emeritus Faculty. He is survived by his wife, who he had been married to for 50 years (Pat Patrick), his daughter (Lynn Box), granddaughter (Addison Box),
Congratulations! Dr. Rebecca Trout Fryxell has just been awarded a grant for her research regarding the Asian Longhorned Tick by the Foundation for Food and Agriculture Research (FFAR). The aim is to halt the spread of this invasive tick species, a problem with both canines and cattle. With this funding, greater resources can be pulled in to help identify solutions. FFAR’s contribution of $150,000 was matched by the University of Tennessee, making a $300,000 effort against this invasive. Please check the following news releases on the matter: FFAR’s News Release UTIA’s News Release EurekAlert!’s News Release (includes video)
A Veteran in Entomology & Plant Pathology Dr. Paris Lambdin has been with our department since 1974 (45 years!) and is a veteran of the Vietnam War. He was in the Marine Corps from 1967-1969 (pictured above). In January 1968, he arrived in Việt Nam, during the outbreak of The Tet Offensive and where he engaged in 5 campaigns during his 13-month deployment. This week was dedicated to him and the many others who served. Thank you for your service!
Being the first in your family to attend college has its own trials and tribulations to overcome because when it comes to figuring out college, you’re often on your own. That’s why being a first-generation student is something to be proud of! We want to take a special moment to congratulate the first-gens in our department who kicked college’s butt and got to where they are today. Thank you for being first-gen and thank you for being a part of EPP! If you would like to read a personal experience from one of our first gens, Shelly Pate– a Graduate Research Assistant and Masters student in our department– wrote an inspiring read the other day. I encourage you to check
The Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology is represented well at Down on the Farm at the TVA&I Fair in Knoxville. Matthew Longmire, David Bechtel, and Jerome Grant are sharing insects with ca. 1,000 students today!
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.