image: University of Guam scientist Dr. Gadi V.P. Reddy points to fruit borer damage on local tomatoes. He and his research team will develop an Integrated Pest Management program for the region with a recently awarded USDA-NIFA grant. view more
Credit: Gadi Reddy
Western Pacific Tropical Research Center (WPTRC) scientist Dr. Gadi V.P. Reddy is concerned about the effect of toxic agricultural chemicals on the health of island residents and ecosystems. He has been educating farmers on the alternatives to pesticide use and has recently been awarded an $188,000 grant from USDA-National Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA-NIFA) Pest Management Alternatives Program (PMAP). Dr. Monte P. Johnson, National Program Leader with USDA-NIFA congratulated Dr. Reddy on his award saying, "Competition was tough." Dr. Reddy's grant was one of six projects funded by PMAP in this grant cycle.
The grant titled Development, Implementation and Economic Evaluation of Sustainable Mite and Fruit Borer Management practices on Tomato will focus on developing an ecologically sound and cost effective Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program for tomato farmers in the region. "The majority of growers in this region use dicofol, carbaryl , malathion, and other insecticides for the control of spider and broad mites and caterpillar pests on tomato. Usually as many as 10 insecticidal applications are applied each cropping period, which is not only expensive in terms of financial outlay but is also associated with ecological and toxicological hazards," says Dr. Reddy. This funding will allow Dr. Reddy to conduct studies that will implement the use of predatory insects, petroleum spray oils, neem oil, microbial pest control agents, and modern miticides, thereby reducing the reliance on toxic pesticides to control insect pests.
Without taking appropriate action to gain effective control, the mites and caterpillar pests are likely to cause a huge or complete loss of tomato production in Guam and other Micronesian Islands. "There has been very little research carried out targeting the control of mites and caterpillar pests on tomato in the Pacific region. The results of this study will be of value to local farmers and consumers and fill a void in the literature," says Dr. Reddy. This study will be carried out at the University of Guam's Agricultural Experiment Stations in Yigo and Inarajan. As a result, a training program will be put together for the purpose of training farmers and other stakeholders on the use of IPM practices. Dr. Reddy and his team will work with extension agents to disseminate the information and to conduct farmers' field schools, and afterward, follow up with the farmers to see if they have implemented IPM practices in their fields. Dr. Reddy also expects that this technology will be widely transferred within the Pacific Islands and other parts of the tropical world.
The grant allows Dr. Reddy to hire a Postdoctoral Research Associate and a Research Assistant to conduct the field experiments and collect the data. The university community will also benefit from this grant, though indirect costs that Dr. Reddy hopes will be used by UOG to consider implementing an on-campus research database. USDA funding to WPTRC researchers gives Guam residents more opportunities to have healthier, locally grown produce at reasonable prices.
For more information on IPM practices in the region contact Dr. Reddy at 735-2142 or email reddy@uguam.uog.edu.