Harold W. Browning

(100% Research)

1. Education

• Willamette University, Salem, Oregon, B.S. (Biology) 1976
• University of California, Riverside, Ph.D. (Entomology) 1981

2. Employment

• Associate Professor; University of Florida, IFAS, Citrus Research and Education Center, Lake Alfred, Florida July, 1988 to Present.
• Associate Professor; Department of Entomology, Texas A and M University, Weslaco, Texas, September 1986 to July 1988.
• Assistant Professor; Department of Entomology, Texas AandM University, Weslaco, Texas, October 1981 to September 1986.
• Post Doctoral Research Associate; Department of Entomology, University of California, Riverside, California, November 1980 to October 1981.
• Graduate Research Assistant, Department of Entomology, University of California, Riverside, California, September 1976 to November 1980.

3. Research Responsibilities

• The research program focuses on investigating interactions between natural enemy organisms, pest insects, and perennial plants with the objective of development and implementation of biological control in IPM systems.
• Insect biology, behavior, and dynamics are key areas of emphasis for research utilizing homopterous and lepidopterous pests in a citrus production system. Biological control research involving evaluation of target pest natural enemy complexes, identification of candidate agents with potential for permanent establishment, and activities associated with introduction,field colonization and post colonization evaluation have been major components of the program.
• Fundamental studies of parasite behavior, attack strategies, developmental biology, natural enemy and pest sampling have contributed to development of applied programs. Finally, research directed at integrating biological control of homopterous and lepidopterous pests into pest management and crop production has focused on the ability of biological control agents to regulate pest populations below economic levels, and have included the evaluation of pesticide/natural enemy interactions under field conditions.
• Involvement in teaching, training, and extension efforts emerge from the research program and support overall responsibilities of this faculty to support IPM ion citrus production.

4. Accomplishments

• Research directed at the evaluation of biological control agents extant in Florida has generated a broad database of seasonal, temporal and host range interactions, and has identified numerous novel or previously unknown interactions.
• New natural enemy species have been discovered, described, and documented biologically. This foundation has provided the means to identify available niches for natural enemy exploitation among key pest species in Florida, several Caribbean islands, and more broadly. Biological studies have identified constraints to successful host/natural enemy interaction imposed by physiological, behavioral, and ecological attributes.
• Practically, advances in management of numerous pest species has resulted. Natural enemy importations have occurred with citrus blackfly, nesting whitefly, cloudy-winged whitefly, citrus mealybug, green scale, citrus snow scale, pyriform scale, root weevil species, and most recently, citrus leafminer. Improved management of these pests through establishment and conservation of natural enemies has necessitated fewer pesticidal applications, less grower intervention, and associated benefits.
• An additional component of the program has been active participation in national issues relating to biological control. Part-time commitment to USDA, CSRS has included such activities as a national workshop on regulation of biological control agents, representing CSRS at national, regional and other research meetings, departmental reviews, panel managing a USDA NRICGP in Biological Control, and providing coordinating research programs related to sweetpotato whitefly and brown citrus aphid.

5. Grants and Contracts

• During the period 1984-1994, Funding for research in Integrated Pest Management and Biological Control totaled approximately $1.2 million, excluding funding to cooperators.
• Key grants awarded as PI include USDA, CBAG (1989-1995), USDA, CSRS and APHIS Broadform agreement, and Florida citrus industry grants. Co-PI grants include, USDA, CBAG (1988-1990), USAID (1990-1994), and Citrus industry grants (1993-1994).

6. Career Publications

• Refereed journals: 39
• Book chapters:8
• Miscellaneous: 30

7. Selected Publications

• Browning, H. W., and J. Stimac. 1994. Classical biological control of whitefly on citrus. D. Rosen, J. C. Capinera, and F. D. Bennett, eds. In: "Biological Control and Integrated Pest Management: The Florida Experience". Intercept. Andover, United Kingdom. (In Press).
• Browning, H. W. 1994. Classical biological control of citrus scale insects. D. Rosen, J. C. Capinera, and F. D. Bennett, eds. In: "Biological Control and Integrated Pest Management: The Florida Experience". Intercept. Andover, United Kingdom. (In Press).
• Browning, H. W. 1992. Rearing Parasites of Stalk-Boring lepidoptera attacking graminacious plants. M. W. Johnson, D. E. Ullman, and A. Vargo, eds., In: 1989 ADAP Crop Protection Conference Proceedings. Univ. Hawaii, Res. and Ext. Ser. No. 143. 118-22.
• Pfannenstiel, R. S., H. W. Browning, and J. W. Smith, Jr. 1992. Searching Behavior of Pediobius furvus (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) on Eoreuma loftini (lepidoptera: Pyralidae) in sugarcane. J. Econ. Entomol. 85(2): 384-388.
• Browning, H. W. 1992. Overview of biological control of homopterous pests in the Caribbean. Fla. Entomol. 75(4): 440-6.
• Xinian, Z., and H. W. Browning. 1991. Studies on Crawler Behavior of citrus snow scale. Acta Agriculturae Jiangxi. 3(2): 132-40.