NEWSLETTER

AWARDS

Dorota Porazinska is the winner of the Alec Courteris Award for outstanding achievement by an International Graduate Student.

The Graduate Student Forum was held on March 27 at the Reitz Union. It was a very successful event with participation of 140 graduate students from 30 departments. Congratulation to the following students from our department: Session Bio. Sci. III: 2nd place, Cecilia Ritzinger (poster); 1st place Dorota Porazinska (paper). Session Bio. Sci. II 2nd place, Rejane Moraes (poster); 1st place, Julieta Brambila Coulliette (poster). Session Bio. Sci. I: 3rd place Denise Johanowicz (paper). Session Bio. Sci. II: 2nd place Enrique Perez (paper); 1st place: Dini Miller (paper). Also, Julieta won the overall 1st place for Best Poster of the afternoon session.

Julieta would like to thank the following people for assistance in her duties as GSC Forum Co-director: Nancy Sanders, Nick Hostetler, Mike Parsons, and Clay Scherer. Moderators: Divina Amalin, Jaw-Chin Liu (Leo). Judges: Drs. Boucias, Dickson, Dunn, Glenn and Tarjan.

Marjorie Hoy was named the winner of the 1996 Senior Faculty Excellence in Research Award for the University of Florida Chapter of Sigma Xi on April 9, 1996.

Congratulations to the members of ENSO and the Department of Entomology and Nematology for their award-winning exhibit this year at Kanapaha Garden Festival. Doug Burkett was responsible for coordinating the effort, which took the first place ribbon for Best Informational Display. Thanks to all of those who contributed: Avi Eitam, Dini Miller, Jason Byrd, Janel Smith, Van Sherwood, Jaw-Ching Liu, John Cooksey, Julieta Coulliette, Wendy Meyer, Yasmin Cardoza, Dr. John Capinera, Flora MacColl, Clay Scherer, John Petti and Denise Johanowicz.

BRINGING SCIENCE TO THE SCIENTISTS OF TOMORROW

Every year the Department of Entomology and Nematology receives numerous requests from Alachua Co. area schools and youth organizations for entomological programs. Wayne Grush is the coordinator of these programs and assists us with individual requests. The following are some of the youth programs presented in 1996:

January 11, 1996: What is an Entomologist?, 230 students k-5, Martha Manson Academy. Presenters: Wayne Grush and John Cooksey.

February 14, 1996: Department Tour, 15 kids 6-11 yrs old, Tiny Tot Academy. Presenter: Wayne Grush.

February 25, 1996: Insects and People, 35 students 2nd-4th grade, Stephen Foster Elementary. Presenter: Marco Toapanta.

March 2, 1996: Animal Fair (Australian, American, giant, death's head and hissing roaches; darkling beetles, American short-horned grasshoppers and various books). 1,200 people, Florida Museum of Natural History. Presenters: Wayne and Matt Grush.

March 15, 1996: Tour of Entomology/Nematology building, 20 elementary-age kids. Presenter: Juan Villaneuva Jimenez.

March 21, 1996: Insect Niches in Florida and What is an Entomologist?, 150 6th graders, Dade County Schools. Presenters: Wayne Grush and John Cooksey.

FACULTY, STAFF AND STUDENTS NEWS

Jianbo Li has completed a 1.5 year postdoctoral assignment in Dr. Marjorie Hoy's laboratory. Jianbo has accepted his third postdoctoral position at Texas A&M University. He will be working on recombinant baculoviruses.

Marjorie Hoy was elected to a two-year term as Member-at-Large to the American Institute of Biological Sciences (AIBS) Council.

SCHOOL IPM ADVISORY COMMITTEE

On March 21, 1996 the organizational meeting of the statewide School IPM Advisory Committee was held in room 1014 of the Entomology/Nematology building. The meeting was coordinated by Jonathan Morehouse, graduate assistant in Urban Entomology, with the help of Dr. Phil Koehler and Dr. Norm Nesheim. The purpose of the meeting was to provide guidance and coordination for the development of IPM programs for Florida school districts. The overall goal is to provide a healthful and safe environment free from pests and to reduce student exposure to pesticides in schools.

The meeting was attended by individuals from across the state interested in reducing the exposure of school children to pesticides. Represented were the Florida Dept. of Education, school officials from across the state, the Dept.of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Bureau of Entomology, Extension Agents, Pest Control Operators, the Legal Environmental Assistance Foundation. The University of Florida was represented by Dean App, Dr. Nesheim, Dr. Koehler and Jonathan Morehouse.

It was exciting to see the enthusiasm of the participants as many ideas were discussed on how to best accomplish the goal of reduced exposure to pesticides.

Many more meetings are planned to help develop educational products, such as contract specifications for IPM services, slide sets to educate parents and school board officials, and an IPM manual to define pest management in the school environment.

NEW STUDENTS

The department of Entomology and Nematology welcomes Claudia Riegel. She will be working on her Ph.D. program under the supervison of Dr. Dickson.

PUBLICATIONS

Accepted for publication by Journal of Economic Entomology: Dini M. Miller, P.G. Koehler and R.S. Patterson. 1995. Influence of German cockroach fecal extract on food consumption and harborage choice.

Lee, M.-L. and Hall, H. G. 1996. Identification of Mitochondrial DNA of Apis mellifera (Hymenoptera:Apidae) Subspecies Groups by Multiplex Allele-Specific Amplification with Competing Fluorescent-Labeled Primers. Annals of the Entomological Society of America 89:20û27.

Pescador, M. L., A. K. Rasmussen, and S. C. Harris. 1995. Identification manual for the caddisfly (Trichoptera) larvae of Florida. Fla. Dept. Environ. Prot., Tallahassee, FL, 132 p. Copies of this publication are available upon request to: Bureau of Surface Water Management Florida Department of Environmental Protection 2600 Blair Stone Road Tallahassee, FL 32399-2400.

BOOKS

The book, Plant-Parasitic Nematodes, A Pictorial Key to Genera, 5th edition, by William F. Mai and Peter G. Mullin, is now available. The book contains a key without pictures and a key with pictures to 70 genera of plant-parasitic nematodes. Additionally, it contains a classification of the Nemata as presented by Maggenti, Hunt's scheme for classification of the Tylenchida, an addendum containing a few selected references to some 450 genera, a few general references, and a rather extensive list of references to 68 genera. There is a glossary of nematological terms and an index to genera and subgenera. The book is available from Cornell University Press, P.O. Box 6525, 750 Cascadilla Street, Ithaca, New York 14851-6525. The book is cloth-bound, bears a 1996 date, and the cost is $49.95. This book is a "must" for all nematologists.

NEW COURSES

Fall semester - Agricultural Ecology. AGG 4905, Sect. 9752. Meeting times: MWF, 2nd period 8:30-9:20. Prerequisites: None. Instructor: Dr. Robert McSorley. General description: An introduction to the study of ecology from an agricultural perspective. The understanding of ecological principles is emphasized, and their application in agro-ecosystems is examined. The first portion of the course examines fundamental processes which affect growth and productivity of agricultural crops. The second third of the course focuses on effects of agricultural pest populations on crop plants. The final segment examines the ecological impact of common agricultural management practices. For more information please contact Emily in Undergraduate Programs at 2-1963, Debbie Hall at 2-1901 ext. 117, or Dr. McSorley at 2-1901 ext. 137. For Fall Semester 1996, undergraduates must register as AGG 4905, Sect. 9752. In the future the course will be AGG 3535. Graduate students may register for this course under ENY 6905, Special Problems in Entomology; please contact Debbie Hall or Dr. McSorley for details.

Summer A, 1996 - ENY 6905, Special Problems in Entomology: Molecular Biology Techniques. Meeting times: MTWHF from 8:00 a.m. to noon. Instructors: Dr. James Maruiak and Dr. Alejandra Garcia Maruniak. This course will be a "hands-on" various molecular techniques as DNA extraction, DNA digestion and electrophoresis, Southern blotting and cloning, with demonstrations on radiolabeling of DNA probes and DNA sequencing. This course is directed for entomology and nematology graduate students and has an enrollment limit of eight. For more information contact any of the instructors at 2-1901 ext. 203 or 148.

PROFESSIONAL DISPLAY

Faculty, staff, and students are reminded that the department has a professional 8x10 foot display available for use. The display has been used at several national, regional and state meetings, and has already won one award. It comes in two easy-to-ship carts with wheels and is intended for indoor use only. Materials for use on the display should be developed well beforehand. Also, while easy to set up, take down and repack, users should take a "short course" on How To before arriving at a meeting. The display costs slightly under $3,000 and you wouldn't want to be stuck with the repair cost because you didn't know how to repack it. You must see Jane Medley to schedule it and she can show you how to set up, take down and repack. Tom Fasulo is also an expert in these procedures.

URBAN IPM MATERIALS IN THE NET

The following is a review that appeared in IPMnet News about the Urban IPM Materials developed at the University of Florida and released six months ago. Jane Medley and Glinda Burnett are the main individuals in the department who are responsible for the development, organization, and appearance of the materials.

TEAM PRODUCES URBAN IPM EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS

Collaboration between a team of U.S. extension professionals and research scientists in the State of Florida, with support from the federal government and input from communities, paid off with development of an impressive and extensive set of IPM educational materials for urban and commercial horticulture.

Reaction among other IPM professionals suggests that the joint Florida-federal effort ranks as one of the most thorough urban IPM information efforts to date, and that it establishes high new organization, content, and visual standards for IPM educational materials. The overall package contains three educational modules, each neatly enclosed in a colorful, clearly identified cardboard carrier with built-in handle. The three modules address: Commercial Horticulture IPM, Landscape Horticulture IPM, and Structural IPM. Each module's materials - videos, 35mm slides, manuals, illustrated flash cards, computer software, and posters - are unique. Each module also includes an "IPM Cooperator" sticker, and, in one case, specially designed insect management book markers for a young audience. The packages were produced at the Univ. of Florida through the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) in cooperation with the Entomology and Nematology Dept. P.G. Koehler and G.J. Cashion spearheaded the effort. Included information focuses primarily on insect pests with less emphasis on diseases and nematodes, and only a brief mention of weed management. FMI: IPM Package, PO Box 110620, Gainesville, FL 32611-0620, USA. E-mail: pgk@ufl.edu. Phone: 1-904-392-1901. Fax: 1-904-392-0190.

CITRUS LEAFMINER CONFERENCE

The International Conference on the Citrus leafminer (Orlando, Florida) will take place April 22-25, 1996. The conference, which was organized by Dr. Marjorie Hoy and Gene Albrigo, will include scientists from Australia, Bahamas, Belize, Brazil, Cayman Islands, Chile, China, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, England, France, Honduras, Israel, Japan, Mexico, Morocco, Nicaragua and Spain, as well as scientists from Washington, DC, California, Texas, Florida and Louisiana.

Several scientists will visit the Department of Entomology and Nematology, as well as the Citrus Research and Extension Center at Lake Alfred before and after the conference. Visitors to the department include Dan Smith, Queensland Department of Primary Industry, Nambour, Queensland, Australia; Yael Argov and Ben Ami Peleg, Citrus Marketing Board of Israel; Beit Dagan, Israel; and Rut Morakote, Biological Control Research Group, Department of Agriculture, Bangkok, Thailand.

E-MAIL ADDRESSES

Skip Choate has added e-mail addresses for all graduate students listed in our web page graduate student table. A few of these do not appear to have an e-mail account. Please verify the accuracy of this information, those that are not listed or wish to make corrections should contact Skip. Also, several students have put their cv's on line, and one even has his own web page (Liu). Check it out!

The next newsletter will be published Wednesday, May 15. Deadline for contributions is Friday, May 10.

Editor: Enrique Perez

This version of the newsletter is published for the Web by Tim McCoy.

April 1996. Updated March 2003.